Serbia, Christmas and the Spanish Presidency

Serbian EU application – a milestone for Europe

This afternoon, Serbian President Boris Tadic will visit Stockholm to hand over the country’s application for membership in the European Union. This makes it an important day, and actually a milestone in history for both Serbia and the EU.

Just fifteen years ago, the Balkans were struck by a devastating war, in which Serbia was deeply involved. Following the arrest of Slobodan Milosevic in 2000, Serbia has moved closer and closer to Europe, which is indeed very positive. In October, the Commission pointed at the positive development of Serbia’s reforms, and this also goes for its cooperation with the Hague Tribunal.

There is a clear goal: all ex-Yugoslav countries will be welcomed as EU members the day they fulfil the criteria. There is a complete consensus about this among Member States.

We have already achieved a lot: Slovenia is a member since five years, Croatia is likely to complete negotiations during 2010 and negotiations may soon start with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Montenegro has applied for membership, and Bosnia-Hercegovina and Kosovo work hard to come closer to the Union.

Last Saturday, the visa regime was lifted for citizens of Serbia, Montenegro and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. This has an enormous impact on countries, where the vast majority of young people have never been abroad.

With visa liberalization and today’s Serbian application, we have taken a great and important leap forward towards integrating the entire Balkan in the EU. This means yet another step towards a Europe, where common problems are solved through discussions – and not through war. And this is the whole idea of European integration.

Discussions on EU-Serbia relations

I have just finished a meeting with Mrs Slavica Dukic Dejanovic, the Speaker of the Serbian Parliament. Mrs Dukic Dejanovic is visiting Stockholm today to discuss the relations between the European Union and Serbia. My message to her was that the Swedish Presidency will continue supporting the idea that Serbia and all other Western Balkan countries that fulfil the Copenhagen criteria will be able to join the Union as full members.

Serbia and the European Union have concluded negotiations on a Stabilisation and Association Agreement, which has yet to enter into force. It is the Swedish presidency’s ambition to speed up this process, which is currently put on hold as the Netherlands requests better Serbian cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

Sweden will also put priority to lifting the visa regime for Serbia, which will serve as the next significant step in EU-Serbia relations. It is our ambition and hope that we can conclude a deal on visa liberalisation for some of the Western Balkan countries this fall.