EU summit in Brussels begins today, hope for visa liberalisation

The meeting of EU leaders and six partners from the Western Balkans begins at 09:30 in the European Council building.

The EU announced they expect exchange of thoughts with Western Balkan partners for opportunities to strengthen the membership process, respectively, accelerate the region's integration into the European Union.

The draft concessions, which will be approved by EU leaders for the Western Balkans, reiterate support for the prospect of EU membership for the countries of the region, calling for continued reforms and resolving bilateral open issues, including the normalisation of Kosovo-Serbia relations.
At the moment, concrete decisions are not expected at today's summit for the new steps of Western Balkan countries in the European integration process.

Following the EU meeting in the Western Balkans around noon, the speech of European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Layeen is scheduled, followed by a joint press conference of the prime ministers of Albania and Northern Macedonia, Edi Rama and Dimitar Kovachevski, as well as Serbian President Aleksandar Vuciq.

In the afternoon, at 1500 hours, EU leaders will begin their regular summit, where the first day will be dedicated to the situation in Ukraine, and the candidacys of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia for membership.

During the meal, EU leaders in Brussels are expected to support the European Commission's proposal to grant Ukraine and Moldova candidate countries' status and for Georgia to receive <x0 green framework” for candidacy after meeting additional conditions.

The summit ends Friday afternoon with a joint press conference of European Council, European Commission and France presidents after the country ends its rotating six-month presidency of the EU.