Brussels, 14/12/2012 (Agence Europe) - The European Council of 14 December took on board the conclusions reached by the General Affairs Council of 11 December, on enlargement.
In those conclusions, the heads of state and/or government call on the Commission to present reports on progress made in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and Serbia in spring 2013, for a decision by end June with a view to opening membership negotiations (see EUROPE 10750). Speaking at the press conference, the Greek prime minister, Antonis Samaras, said on the subject of FYROM that the message is now quite clear: it is time to resolve the name problem so that the doors of Europe may open for them (the Macedonians). They, he said, hold part of the key, while the Europeans hold the other part.
The Commission should also present a report on progress made in Kosovo this coming spring. If the assessment is positive, then that will result in negotiating directives for a stabilisation and association agreement. The European Council also calls on Albania to move forward towards obtaining candidate status. It underlines that there is progress but also effort to be made regarding Turkey, Montenegro, Iceland and Croatia, and regrets the lack of progress made by Bosnia-Herzegovina (see EUROPE 10750). (CG/EL/transl.jl)