Luxembourg, 25/06/2013 (Agence Europe) - At the European Council on 25 June, the European foreign affairs ministers unanimously recommended opening accession negotiations with Serbia. According to the latest version of the draft conclusions, these negotiations should be opened at the latest in January 2014 with the intergovernmental conference. The European Council on 28 June is due to approve this date - over which ministers have debated at length. Some member states reportedly wanted the opening in October, then 26 member states agreed on December - but Germany apparently maintained January as the date.
The heads of state and government will also have to decide on the modalities for the opening. While the majority of member states want only the Council of the EU to adopt the negotiating framework - an adoption that could take place after the Commission's progress report in mid-October - Germany would also like the European Council to confirm this decision. Confirmation could take place at the European Council on 20 December. The European Council on 28 June will therefore have to state whether or not it also wants to confirm the decision of the Council of the EU on the negotiating framework, said Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Füle.
In Füle's view, the conclusions of the European Council should ask the Commission to present a proposal without delay on the framework for the negotiations. It has also been asked to proceed to the analytical examination of the acquis communautaire - including the chapters on the judicial apparatus and fundamental rights (chapter 23) and on justice, freedom and security (chapter 24). (CG/transl.fl)