EU commissioner on visas, SAA, Kosovo
The European Commission will give its first appraisal of the possibility to abolish visas for Serbian nationals in November, Olli Rehn says.
Sunday, 12.10.2008.
12:46
The European Commission will give its first appraisal of the possibility to abolish visas for Serbian nationals in November, Olli Rehn says. The EU enlargement commissioner told the daily Blic in an interview published on Sunday that he welcomes the progress made so far in the visa liberalization talks between Belgrade and Brussels, and added that he "hopes Serbia and the EU will make a quick joint progress on this issue, but this progress depends on the speed of reforms in Serbia". EU commissioner on visas, SAA, Kosovo Rehn told the newspaper that the Serbian government is encouraged to start implementing its obligations from the Interim Trade Agreement – a part of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA), so as to "with practical and concrete measures speed up the progress on Serbia's European path". The SAA and its accompanying trade deal were signed in April, but were immediately suspended, and remain frozen until Brussels appraises that Serbia's cooperation with the Hague Tribunal is satisfactory. However, the government in Belgrade has earlier announced its readiness to "unilaterally implement" the provisions of these deals. Rehn added in the interview that application of the Interim Trade Agreement would have a very important political implication. "If Serbia were to start implementing the Interim Agreement today or tomorrow… we would accept that as the starting yardstick to measure against once the candidate status negotiations start," he said. The Blic reporter also asked whether accepting EULEX or "cancelling parallel institutions in Kosovo" will be seen in Brussels as a sign of good will on Serbia's road toward the EU. Rehn responded that Serbia's European course and recognition of Kosovo are "two separate, but parallel processes". "Serbia deserves to start implementing the trade parts of the SAA, while Kosovo, like other Western Balkans countries, has a clear European perspective," the EU commissioner was quoted as saying. According to Blic, he also added that the deployment of EULEX is "in Serbia's and EU's common interest". A file photo of Olli Rehn (FoNet)
EU commissioner on visas, SAA, Kosovo
Rehn told the newspaper that the Serbian government is encouraged to start implementing its obligations from the Interim Trade Agreement – a part of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA), so as to "with practical and concrete measures speed up the progress on Serbia's European path".The SAA and its accompanying trade deal were signed in April, but were immediately suspended, and remain frozen until Brussels appraises that Serbia's cooperation with the Hague Tribunal is satisfactory.
However, the government in Belgrade has earlier announced its readiness to "unilaterally implement" the provisions of these deals.
Rehn added in the interview that application of the Interim Trade Agreement would have a very important political implication.
"If Serbia were to start implementing the Interim Agreement today or tomorrow… we would accept that as the starting yardstick to measure against once the candidate status negotiations start," he said.
The Blic reporter also asked whether accepting EULEX or "cancelling parallel institutions in Kosovo" will be seen in Brussels as a sign of good will on Serbia's road toward the EU.
Rehn responded that Serbia's European course and recognition of Kosovo are "two separate, but parallel processes".
"Serbia deserves to start implementing the trade parts of the SAA, while Kosovo, like other Western Balkans countries, has a clear European perspective," the EU commissioner was quoted as saying.
According to Blic, he also added that the deployment of EULEX is "in Serbia's and EU's common interest".
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