EU expects Kosovo tax lifting on Serbia, Bosnia

He said the conditions for EU membership are the same for all countries, and speed depends on the time they take to meet the criteria.

But according to him, by proposing adjustments in methodology, the EC aims to better support their reform process: through the collection of chapters, clearer criteria and stronger political direction, our goal is to help countries move faster with reforms.

Ambassador Louis Soreca has been asked what it means for Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina, the European Commission's new methodology for accession negotiations, where these two countries have signed the Stabilisation and Association Agreement.

According to the ambassador, the EU has repeatedly confirmed its clear support for the European perspective of the Western Balkans, where the Stabilisation and Association process remains the common framework of relations with the two countries.

For Kosovo, it is important that the new government resume the work of reforms, including implementation of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, and by relying on the European Reform Agency to produce tangible results for citizens. The commission is looking forward to working with the new government in Kosovo and assisting with its European Reform Agreement, focusing on strengthening the rule of law, public administration and the economy. It is also important that Kosovo lift the tariffs and renew its commitment to regional initiatives and co-operation”, EU Ambassador Louis Soreca said in Tirana on Monday.

According to him, in his conclusions of December 2019, the Council welcomed the Commission's opinion on Bosnia and Herzegovina's application for EU membership.

The Council urged executive and legislative bodies at all levels of government to begin addressing key priorities identified in the opinion, in line with the legitimate aspirations of Bosnia and Herzegovina citizens to progress towards the European Union. The EU has welcomed the appointment of the new government in Bosnia and Herzegovina and is willing to work with authorities for implementing 14 identified priorities, paving the way for candidate status”, Sorica said.

With revised methodology, the European Commission aims to make the process of enlargement more reliable, predictable, dynamic and subject to a more powerful political course. This will renew the accession process and make it more effective, increasing credibility and trust from both sides.

The revised methodology of enlargement is based on four main principles:

Faithfulness: Candidate countries must implement reforms they promised, while the EU must implement when they do.

More powerful political direction: Engagement with high-level candidates through regular summits and ministerial meetings. Member States will be more strongly involved and will have better opportunities to monitor and review the process.

A more dynamic process: Grouping chapters will enable more detailed political discussions on thematic areas and identification of early access and integration into EU policies.

Grouping on the bases (the rule of law, economic criteria and public administration reform) will take on a central role and sufficient progress will have to be achieved before other groups are opened.

In the case of the Western Balkans, additional conditions for membership were defined at the Stabilisation and Association Process, mainly in terms of regional co-operation and good neighbourly relations. There are no shortcuts towards membership. True, the accession process today is more demanding than in the past. But this is because the process has become more rigorous to help countries deal with the most difficult challenges they face in their reform efforts”, Sorica said.

But the new methodology will apply only to northern Macedonia and Albania, and not to Serbia and Montenegro as well. However, the accession process is equally difficult for any candidate, but in different ways, as challenges change.

The new “methodology will be formalised in negotiating frameworks for northern Macedonia and Albania. Many of the proposals may also appeal to Serbia and Montenegro, as they can contribute to making the process more dynamic, predictable and reliable for them. Serbia and Montenegro will be able to choose if they want. However, the negotiating frameworks already set for Montenegro and Serbia will not have to be changed. The fact that a revised methodology will be the basis for new negotiating frameworks means that there will be a two-speed process for membership: easier for those already negotiating and harder for Albania and Northern Macedonia? The accession process is equally difficult for each candidate, but in different ways, as challenges vary. The “Negotiations are never identical. They take into account the context of each candidate and clarify the way the negotiations are conducted. The speed of progress towards EU membership does not depend on the negotiating frameworks, but on the country's political will to implement the necessary reforms so that the country can meet the EU accession criteria”, Lugi Sorica said.

According to the EU Ambassador to Tirana, the European Commission hopes that the Member States will approve the proposal, in parallel with the opening of accession negotiations with northern Macedonia and Albania, ahead of the European-Western Balkans Summit in Zagreb, on 6-7 May, for which the Commission will also present an economic development and investment plan for the Western Balkan region.

If the Council makes a positive decision in that sense, it will force the Commission to submit the negotiating frameworks with the two countries to the project. They will further clarify the proposals specified in revised methodology”, EU Ambassador to Albania Louis Soreca explained.