Decision on Serbia's candidate status postponed

The European Council decided early Friday that Serbia should get the EU candidate status in March 2012 if it makes further progress in the talks with Pristina. The European Council also expects Serbia to help enable free movement to EULEX and KFOR, Tanjug has learned from diplomatic sources. Decision on Serbia's candidate status postponed At the same time, a decision was made that Montenegro should obtain a date for the beginning of accession talks in June 2012, also under certain conditions. The meeting of the European Council, which lasted over ten hours, was completed at dawn on Friday. European Council President Herman Van Rompuy earlier told a news conference that the first part of the session would be dedicated to the eurozone crisis and that enlargement would be discussed later in the day. However, according to draft conclusions delivered to Tanjug, which were confirmed by diplomatic sources, the Council has already made decisions on the enlargement issue which are expected to be announced on Friday afternoon. According to article 16 of the Council's conclusions, Serbia will get the EU candidate status by March 2012 if the European Council is convinced that Serbia is showing genuine commitment, that it has achieved progress in the implementation of agreements reached in the dialogue (with Pristina), including integrated border management, that it has reached an agreement on overall regional cooperation and is actively cooperating in enabling EULEX and KFOR to perform their mandates. The same article says that the Council has noted significant progress Serbia has made in fulfilling the Copenhagen political criteria, adding that the cooperation with The Hague Tribunal is completely satisfactory. When it comes to determining the date for the beginning of Montenegro's accession talks, the article 15 says that the talks could begin in June 2012, when the Council will review the country's progress in implementing reforms, with a special focus on the rule of law, respect for fundamental rights and suppression of corruption and organized crime.

Decision on Serbia's candidate status postponed

At the same time, a decision was made that Montenegro should obtain a date for the beginning of accession talks in June 2012, also under certain conditions.

The meeting of the European Council, which lasted over ten hours, was completed at dawn on Friday.

European Council President Herman Van Rompuy earlier told a news conference that the first part of the session would be dedicated to the eurozone crisis and that enlargement would be discussed later in the day.

However, according to draft conclusions delivered to Tanjug, which were confirmed by diplomatic sources, the Council has already made decisions on the enlargement issue which are expected to be announced on Friday afternoon.

According to article 16 of the Council's conclusions, Serbia will get the EU candidate status by March 2012 if the European Council is convinced that Serbia is showing genuine commitment, that it has achieved progress in the implementation of agreements reached in the dialogue (with Priština), including integrated border management, that it has reached an agreement on overall regional cooperation and is actively cooperating in enabling EULEX and KFOR to perform their mandates.

The same article says that the Council has noted significant progress Serbia has made in fulfilling the Copenhagen political criteria, adding that the cooperation with The Hague Tribunal is completely satisfactory.

When it comes to determining the date for the beginning of Montenegro's accession talks, the article 15 says that the talks could begin in June 2012, when the Council will review the country's progress in implementing reforms, with a special focus on the rule of law, respect for fundamental rights and suppression of corruption and organized crime.