No new conditions for Serbia, EU rep claims

BELGRADE Obligations in the EU accession process are well-known and there are no new conditions, Brussels officials have pointed out. This refers to a possible request to sign a statement on normalization of relations with Kosovo, that Berlin has allegedly requested from Belgrade, daily Vecernje novosti writes. No new conditions for Serbia, EU rep claims “The only authoritative conditions for us are those that are very clearly and precisely determined in the European Council’s conclusions from last December and March this year,” EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule’s Spokesman Peter Stano told the daily. In the conclusions, the EU has requested visible signs of a sustainable improvement of relations with Pristina through progress in the dialogue. Many things will be much clearer after the European Commission (EC) submits its report on Serbia’s progress that will be published on October 10. Stano did not want to comment on the report. “Any comment on the upcoming report on progress is a complete speculation. The report has not been finished yet and the final version will be known once it has been adopted by the Commission,” he explained. Even though the contents of the report are kept secret until the last moment, it has been known for some time that it will not contain a recommendation for the beginning of the pre-accession talks since Serbia has not fulfilled the only key condition – improvement of relations with Pristina. However, Vecernje novosti has learnt from well-informed sources that the upcoming report will not be unfavorable. According to the sources, Fule’s team is preparing to leave an open door for the beginning of the accession talks at any moment, which means that Serbia will not have to wait for the next annual report in order to start the next phase of the EU integration process. “The timing does not depend on the report on progress but on the progress made in the relations between Belgrade and Pristina. The moment the key priority is fulfilled, the Commission will be able to recommend the opening of the negotiations. Based on the Commission’s recommendation, the European Council will then decide. Therefore, a date for the beginning of the negotiations will be determined by the member states,” Stano was quoted as saying. Heads of EU states will have the first opportunity to recommend the beginning of Serbia’s EU accession talks in December and then in February and May 2013. Vecernje novosti

No new conditions for Serbia, EU rep claims

“The only authoritative conditions for us are those that are very clearly and precisely determined in the European Council’s conclusions from last December and March this year,” EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule’s Spokesman Peter Stano told the daily.

In the conclusions, the EU has requested visible signs of a sustainable improvement of relations with Priština through progress in the dialogue.

Many things will be much clearer after the European Commission (EC) submits its report on Serbia’s progress that will be published on October 10. Stano did not want to comment on the report.

“Any comment on the upcoming report on progress is a complete speculation. The report has not been finished yet and the final version will be known once it has been adopted by the Commission,” he explained.

Even though the contents of the report are kept secret until the last moment, it has been known for some time that it will not contain a recommendation for the beginning of the pre-accession talks since Serbia has not fulfilled the only key condition – improvement of relations with Priština.

However, Večernje novosti has learnt from well-informed sources that the upcoming report will not be unfavorable.

According to the sources, Fule’s team is preparing to leave an open door for the beginning of the accession talks at any moment, which means that Serbia will not have to wait for the next annual report in order to start the next phase of the EU integration process.

“The timing does not depend on the report on progress but on the progress made in the relations between Belgrade and Priština. The moment the key priority is fulfilled, the Commission will be able to recommend the opening of the negotiations. Based on the Commission’s recommendation, the European Council will then decide. Therefore, a date for the beginning of the negotiations will be determined by the member states,” Stano was quoted as saying.

Heads of EU states will have the first opportunity to recommend the beginning of Serbia’s EU accession talks in December and then in February and May 2013.