Brussels, 04/12/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 3 December, Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Füle stated that the progress made in the coming days on implementing the April agreement with Kosovo will have an “eminent” role for the member states regarding the intergovernmental conference for the opening of the accession negotiations - which will take place in January at the latest. “I emphasised that the positive findings of the 2013 progress report would provide a solid backdrop for the discussions in the Council, while the further progress that will be achieved in the implementation of the April agreement and its implementation plan would also play an eminent role”, Füle said, reporting on his meeting with the leader of Serbia's Democratic Party, Dragan Djilas. He also spoke of “decisive meetings of the Council in December”.
High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton will again meet the prime ministers of Serbia and Kosovo, Ivica Dacic and Hashim Thaçi respectively, in Brussels on 5 December to discuss issues that are still open on the implementation of the agreement (see EUROPE 10976).
Continuing efforts.
Füle encouraged the Serbian political actors who are ready to advance Serbia's European aspirations “to continue to act constructively and responsibly in the forthcoming period, including by supporting Serbia's unprecedented efforts towards the normalisation of its relations with Kosovo”.
Füle and Djilas also discussed key areas for which “Serbia will need to confirm or deliver new efforts to move decisively in this more demanding phase of accession negotiations”, Füle said. He considered their meeting as “the start of a more regular exchange of views with the opposition to ensure the inclusivity of the accession negotiation process”.
Füle recalled that the screening process started in September with the judiciary and fundamental rights chapter (23), then the justice, freedom and security chapter (24), and finally the financial control chapter (32). (CG/transl.fl)