Tim za socijalno uključivanje i smanjenje siromaštva

The European Commission presented 12 screening reports in the negotiations of Serbia on EU membership, with six reports adopted by member states as well, the EU Delegation to Serbia stated for EurAktiv on 9 June. The European Commission is expected to adopt the remaining reports by the end of the year. The head of the sector for European Integration in the Delegation, Freek Janmaat, said that the Commission is in close cooperation with Serbian authorities in completing the action plans for the key chapters 23 and 24, on the judiciary and justice, representing a precondition for opening the chapters.

This year the member states adopted three screening reports, for chapters 5 – public procurement, 20 – entrepreneurship and industrial policy and 26 – education and culture, stated Janmaat. “Discussion on several remaining chapters are ongoing,” he said for EurAktiv.

Following the screening, i.e. the analytical review of the state of harmonization with EU for each area, the European Commission completes the report, and this document is a precondition for opening negotiations after being deliberated on and adopted by member states, with a recommendation on whether the country is ready for opening the chapter or if additional conditions are required.

Janmaat announced that the Commission will present the remaining reports by the end of the year.

During 2014 the member states have, as he reminded, adopted the reports for chapter 32 on financial control, one Serbia will be able to open without additional conditions, and chapters 23 – judiciary and basic rights and 24 – justice, freedom and security, where the harmonization of action plans for approximation with EU is under way, representing a precondition for opening the chapter.

Serbia officially opened negotiations on EU accession on 21 January 2014, the screening, i.e. analytical review of the chapters was completed in March 2015, but no chapters have been opened yet.

The greatest weight will be on chapters 23 and 24, as well as 35 – other issues, where the normalization of relations with Kosovo will be assessed. These chapters will be opened at the start, and will remain open until near the very end of negotiations, and without progress in them, progress in other chapters will be impossible.

Author: S.V., taken from www.euractiv.rs