Brussels, 12/10/2011 (Agence Europe) - In its 2011 annual report, which was adopted on Wednesday 12 October, the European Commission recommends that Serbia become a candidate country and notes that the country will be ready to begin accession talks as soon as further good progress is made in discussions with Kosovo. “Following first results achieved in the dialogue with Kosovo, it is expected that Serbia re-engages and implements swiftly agreements reached to date. Serbia will also need to achieve further significant progress in improving relations with Kosovo and implementing pragmatic and sustainable solutions that will facilitate the lives of the people”, the Commission says.
This opinion is “good news” the Serbian Mission to the EU told Agence Europe. It welcomes the recognition given to the reform effort made. “The work is not yet finished, we have to press on”, it said, indicating that Serbia is willing to continue the dialogue with Kosovo and to find a solution. Belgrade hopes that EU member states will give their approval in December.
The Commission report says that Serbia has made significant progress in meeting the political criteria, with the adoption of key laws. Serbia, the Commission says, too, must be “commended for having brought to a fully satisfactory level its cooperation with ICTY”, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.
The report reveals that Serbia has taken important steps towards establishing a functioning market economy. “Economic integration with the EU is high”, the Commission says. A number of structural weaknesses persist, however, “which Serbia will need to address to be able to cope in the medium term with the competitive pressure and market forces within the Union”.
Serbia has made great progress towards aligning its legislation to European standards, particularly in customs, taxation, economic and monetary union, statistics, enterprise and industrial policy and company law. Additional efforts are needed, the Commission says, to align with the EU legislation and to implement it effectively in the medium term as regards, inter alia, freedom of movement for goods and workers, services and capital, financial services and energy policy. (CG/transl.rt)