Draft resolution on parliament’s role in EU accession talks

BELGRADE A draft resolution on the role of Serbia’s parliament in accession negotiations with the European Union has been presented for debate in the Serbian parliament. The draft resolution on the role of parliament and guidelines in the accession negotiations say that Serbia wants to become a full-fledged member of the EU and firmly emphasizes its commitment to respecting the values the Union was founded on. Draft resolution on parliament’s role in EU accession talks In the draft document, parliament is calling on the government – which is responsible for leading and coordinating the accession negotiations – to act responsibly and effectively and take care to protect national interests during the process. By playing an active role in the negotiations, parliament wants to help effectively conduct the negotiations on Serbia accession to the EU and have them completed as soon as possible, fostering and building on the values and principles the EU is founded on. The parliament stresses in the draft document the obligation to fulfil the necessary criteria for EU membership – as laid down by the European Council in Copenhagen and Madrid – in line with Serbia’s commitment to helping build a functional, sustainable and efficient EU. Particular attention, it says, needs to be paid to ensuring sustainable development and increasing the competitiveness of the Serbian economy through implementing economic and social reforms, completing the economic transition process, developing a knowledge-based economy and achieving a stable financial and macro-economic climate. The draft resolution points to the importance of the implementation of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) between the EU and Serbia, adding that the parliament will work to help the presentation of positions and interests of Serbia through active cooperation with the European Parliament, national parliaments of EU member states and parliaments of countries taking part in the SAA processes. The government is obliged to timely and comprehensively report to the parliament about planned activities in connection with the negotiations so the parliament could timely plan its activities. It also states that the government, before establishing its negotiating positions for individual chapters of the EU acquis, shall submit the negotiating position proposals to the parliament’s European Integration Committee. The draft resolution also provides that the government officials in charge of European integration and the head of the Serbian negotiating team shall submit quarterly reports to the European Integration Committee, and more often, at the request of the Committee, if needs arise. The government shall submit EU accession negotiations progress reports to parliament twice a year, and the parliament will endeavor to strengthen the societal and political consensus on Serbia’s accession to the EU, the draft says, stressing also the importance of the role of civil society and experts in different fields in the accession process. The preamble of the draft resolution states that the document is proposed based on Serbia’s strategic goal of becoming a full-fledged EU member, confirming the view that the membership of the EU would contribute to the overall societal progress of the country and welfare of its citizens, and its firm commitment to respecting the values the Union is founded on. (Tanjug, file) Tanjug

Draft resolution on parliament’s role in EU accession talks

In the draft document, parliament is calling on the government – which is responsible for leading and coordinating the accession negotiations – to act responsibly and effectively and take care to protect national interests during the process.

By playing an active role in the negotiations, parliament wants to help effectively conduct the negotiations on Serbia accession to the EU and have them completed as soon as possible, fostering and building on the values and principles the EU is founded on.

The parliament stresses in the draft document the obligation to fulfil the necessary criteria for EU membership – as laid down by the European Council in Copenhagen and Madrid – in line with Serbia’s commitment to helping build a functional, sustainable and efficient EU.

Particular attention, it says, needs to be paid to ensuring sustainable development and increasing the competitiveness of the Serbian economy through implementing economic and social reforms, completing the economic transition process, developing a knowledge-based economy and achieving a stable financial and macro-economic climate.

The draft resolution points to the importance of the implementation of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) between the EU and Serbia, adding that the parliament will work to help the presentation of positions and interests of Serbia through active cooperation with the European Parliament, national parliaments of EU member states and parliaments of countries taking part in the SAA processes.

The government is obliged to timely and comprehensively report to the parliament about planned activities in connection with the negotiations so the parliament could timely plan its activities.

It also states that the government, before establishing its negotiating positions for individual chapters of the EU acquis, shall submit the negotiating position proposals to the parliament’s European Integration Committee.

The draft resolution also provides that the government officials in charge of European integration and the head of the Serbian negotiating team shall submit quarterly reports to the European Integration Committee, and more often, at the request of the Committee, if needs arise.

The government shall submit EU accession negotiations progress reports to parliament twice a year, and the parliament will endeavor to strengthen the societal and political consensus on Serbia’s accession to the EU, the draft says, stressing also the importance of the role of civil society and experts in different fields in the accession process.

The preamble of the draft resolution states that the document is proposed based on Serbia’s strategic goal of becoming a full-fledged EU member, confirming the view that the membership of the EU would contribute to the overall societal progress of the country and welfare of its citizens, and its firm commitment to respecting the values the Union is founded on.