EU official: Decision on Dec. 9

Stefan Fule says that "everyone, including Belgrade, would have felt better had the positive events in northern Kosovo and in the dialogue come earlier". Speaking in Brussels on Wednesday, the EU enlargement commissioner added that Serbia's EU candidacy would have to wait December 9 to be decided on. EU official: Decision on Dec. 9 Had all these positive developments come earlier, at the time when we presented the European Commission's progress report, all, including Belgrade, would feel better now, Fule said at a news conference held at the headquarters of the European Commission. I think we will have to wait until December 9 to see what the decision will be, he said. The decision will be made by the heads of state and prime ministers within the European Council, said the European enlargement commissioner. Fule said that a progress had been made over the recent period both in the opening of new topics in the Belgrade-Pristina talks and in the implementation of the agreements the two sides had reached so far. He particularly commended the positive developments in the Kosovo north. The commissioner said that the signing of the association agreement with Croatia was yet another thing that made the current week an important one for the European Union enlargement process. In Belgrade, EU's representative Vincent Degert stated on Wednesday that the European Commission (EC) believes that Serbia deserves to become a candidate for the EU membership since its has fulfill the precondition mentioned in the EC opinion to continue the dialogue with Pristina. Recalling that the final decision will be rendered by 27 EU member states, Degert said that it cannot be denied that the decision on candidacy is arriving at a very complex moment "when tensions in north Kosovo have led to injuring of KFOR soldiers". "I hope that the agreement on integrated management of crossings will be sufficient and that the barricades will be removed since they serve no purpose any more," Degert said. The head of the EU delegation in Serbia also noted today that the issue of Pristina's representation in regional forums "is not a new condition", but that the progress in that respect would be "additional good news in making a decision on Serbia's candidacy".

EU official: Decision on Dec. 9

Had all these positive developments come earlier, at the time when we presented the European Commission's progress report, all, including Belgrade, would feel better now, Fule said at a news conference held at the headquarters of the European Commission.

I think we will have to wait until December 9 to see what the decision will be, he said. The decision will be made by the heads of state and prime ministers within the European Council, said the European enlargement commissioner.

Fule said that a progress had been made over the recent period both in the opening of new topics in the Belgrade-Priština talks and in the implementation of the agreements the two sides had reached so far. He particularly commended the positive developments in the Kosovo north.

The commissioner said that the signing of the association agreement with Croatia was yet another thing that made the current week an important one for the European Union enlargement process.

In Belgrade, EU's representative Vincent Degert stated on Wednesday that the European Commission (EC) believes that Serbia deserves to become a candidate for the EU membership since its has fulfill the precondition mentioned in the EC opinion to continue the dialogue with Priština.

Recalling that the final decision will be rendered by 27 EU member states, Degert said that it cannot be denied that the decision on candidacy is arriving at a very complex moment "when tensions in north Kosovo have led to injuring of KFOR soldiers".

"I hope that the agreement on integrated management of crossings will be sufficient and that the barricades will be removed since they serve no purpose any more," Degert said.

The head of the EU delegation in Serbia also noted today that the issue of Priština's representation in regional forums "is not a new condition", but that the progress in that respect would be "additional good news in making a decision on Serbia's candidacy".