The European Union is considering holding Intergovernmental Conferences (IGCs) on enlargement with Albania, Montenegro, Ukraine and Moldova on Tuesday 14 July, on the sidelines of the EU General Affairs Council, several European and diplomatic sources told Agence Europe.
The EU is in fact planning to close chapters 25 (science and research), 26 (education and culture) and 30 (external relations) with Albania, as well as chapters 8 (competition policy) and 29 (customs union) with Montenegro. The ambassadors of the 27 Member States to the EU (Coreper) are expected to confirm this decision at their meeting on 10 July.
At the same time, Ukraine and Moldova are expected to open their second cluster of negotiations devoted to external relations. This includes chapters 30 (external relations) and 31 (foreign, security and defence policy), following the opening in June of the first cluster of chapters devoted to the fundamentals reforms (see EUROPE 13889/29). Coreper is expected to give its green light at its meeting on 8 July.
The adoption of the EU’s common positions relating to these chapters would allow the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU to convene Intergovernmental Conferences with Albania, Montenegro, Ukraine and Moldova on the sidelines of the EU General Affairs Council on 14 July.
On 30 June, the Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Enlargement Services (DG ENEST), Gert Jan Koopman, had indicated that 14 July could see “the largest number of countries ever” brought together as part of intergovernmental conferences.
As regards Moldova, asked about the consequences of the resignation of Moldovan Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu for the process of accession to the European Union, Commission spokesperson Markus Lammert said, on Monday 6 July, that the Commission had “taken note” of this decision. He said he was “convinced that a new government will be swiftly formed in full respect of Moldova’s constitutional and democratic processes” and that it “will maintain the momentum of the country’s reform agenda”.
Support for progress with Serbia. The Commission continues to argue in favour of opening the third thematic cluster of chapters on competitiveness and inclusive growth with Serbia, which it has considered technically ready since 2021.
At this stage, the possibility of opening this thematic cluster of chapters with Serbia appears “unlikely”, according to several sources consulted by Agence Europe. “It will not happen with Serbia”, another European source confirmed.
Several Member States, including the Netherlands, Sweden, Bulgaria and the Baltic States, are opposed to this because of their concerns about the insufficient progress made by Belgrade, notably as regards respect for the rule of law, according to several sources consulted by Agence Europe.
The Commission recently welcomed the adoption of new amendments to judicial legislation in Serbia, describing them as an “important step in the right direction”, while specifying that it is currently carrying out an assessment of their compliance with the recommendations of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe (see EUROPE 13898/8, 13856/20). (Original version in French by Ana Pisonero Hernández)