EC: Candidate status possible in 2009

The European Commission (EC) believes Serbia can receive EU candidate status in 2009 provided it achieves full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal. The EC’s annual report on Serbia’s progress in European integration states that Belgrade is expected to achieve “tangible progress“ in reforms linked to the rule of law and economic reform. EC: Candidate status possible in 2009 “Serbia should continue the positive steps through full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal and achieving tangible progress in priority reform areas linked to the rule of law and economic reform,“ reads the document. “If Serbia meets these conditions, it can receive candidate status in 2009,“ the EC underlines. European Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn confirmed from Brussels the appraisal that “Serbia can still, in the best-case scenario, receive candidate status in 2009 if it meets the necessary conditions.“ “Serbia must now do everything in its power to arrest and extradite the remaining Hague fugitives, including Ratko Mladic,“ Rehn told a press conference. The commissioner mentioned that “the new government has set European integration and reforms linked to integration as its key priorities.“ He stressed that Serbia had a big role to play in the region, and that the EC was looking for a “constructive approach to the issue of EULEX’s deployment in Kosovo“ from Serbia. Earlier, Beta reported that the EC believed that Serbia was capable of become a candidate for EU entry in 2009, but that economic and legal reforms were needed, along with completion of cooperation with the Hague Tribunal. The report added that the government in Belgrade had made important progress in its cooperation with the Hague with the arrest of Radovan Karadzic, but reiterated that there were still two Hague fugitives on the run. According to Beta, the EC stated that Serbia was able to implement the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU and the interim trade agreement, because it had a capable public administration and because its European integration instruments and mechanisms had strengthened. As regards the conditions that Serbia must fulfill to get on the Schengen white list, the EC report stated that a lot more needed to be done, especially with the adoption of the relevant laws. The report stated that “relations between the EU and Serbia were affected by the declaration of Kosovo independence,” and that the activities of the government had been marked with that act, which had led to a lack of consensus on European integration. The annual report also applies to both current EU candidate states—Croatia, Macedonia and Turkey— and potential candidates Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Albania and Serbia. You can download the EC reports here

EC: Candidate status possible in 2009

“Serbia should continue the positive steps through full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal and achieving tangible progress in priority reform areas linked to the rule of law and economic reform,“ reads the document.

“If Serbia meets these conditions, it can receive candidate status in 2009,“ the EC underlines.

European Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn confirmed from Brussels the appraisal that “Serbia can still, in the best-case scenario, receive candidate status in 2009 if it meets the necessary conditions.“

“Serbia must now do everything in its power to arrest and extradite the remaining Hague fugitives, including Ratko Mladić,“ Rehn told a press conference.

The commissioner mentioned that “the new government has set European integration and reforms linked to integration as its key priorities.“

He stressed that Serbia had a big role to play in the region, and that the EC was looking for a “constructive approach to the issue of EULEX’s deployment in Kosovo“ from Serbia.

Earlier, Beta reported that the EC believed that Serbia was capable of become a candidate for EU entry in 2009, but that economic and legal reforms were needed, along with completion of cooperation with the Hague Tribunal.

The report added that the government in Belgrade had made important progress in its cooperation with the Hague with the arrest of Radovan Karadžić, but reiterated that there were still two Hague fugitives on the run.

According to Beta, the EC stated that Serbia was able to implement the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU and the interim trade agreement, because it had a capable public administration and because its European integration instruments and mechanisms had strengthened.

As regards the conditions that Serbia must fulfill to get on the Schengen white list, the EC report stated that a lot more needed to be done, especially with the adoption of the relevant laws.

The report stated that “relations between the EU and Serbia were affected by the declaration of Kosovo independence,” and that the activities of the government had been marked with that act, which had led to a lack of consensus on European integration.

The annual report also applies to both current EU candidate states—Croatia, Macedonia and Turkey— and potential candidates Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Albania and Serbia.

You can download the EC reports here