EU officially conditions Serbia's integration with normalisation of reports with Kosovo

This change concerns chapter 35 of the negotiating framework, in which implementation of the Agreement on the road towards normalising relations with Kosovo is now made formal conditions for Serbia in the process of the bloc's membership negotiations.

In the new text of the negotiating framework as a condition, this sentence has been put in place: “Serbia fully implements the obligations that come out of the agreement on the road towards normalising reports between Kosovo and Serbia, according to the Anex of its implementation, as agreed on March 18th, 2023 148x1>.

On February 27th, 2023 in Brussels, Kosovo and Serbia had reached the Base Agreement, already on March 18th in Ohrid, reconciliation was reached for the Anex's implementation of the agreement.

The European Commission and the EU Foreign Action Service (EEAS), which had also proposed these changes, have welcomed the Council of Ministers' decision to approve them, according to EU spokesman Peter Stano.

The two sides had accepted their respective obligations, that the agreement on normalisation [of relations] would become an integral part of their European integration routes. The implementation of Anex achieved in March 2023 reflects this obligation of both sides”, Stano said.

Stano confirmed that even for Kosovo such an obligation will become formal through a “special set for normalisation”.

The agenda of the next special group's normalisation meeting for Kosovo will also be updated. We expect both sides to implement the Agreement and all remaining obligations of dialogue, because that is key to their respective European path”, he added.

The agreement on these changes had reached ambassadors of EU member states last week.

This change was required to include the obligation to implement the agreement from Serbia's dialogue with Kosovo as a condition under chapter 35 of membership negotiations since the agreement was reached a year ago.

Progress in the process of normalising reports with Kosovo earlier had been part of provisions in Belgrade's EU membership negotiations, but now specifically mentioned the condition of implementing the agreement reached last year.

This agreement, of 11 provisions, also envisions a level of self-awareness for the Serb community in Kosovo and mutual recognition of state symbols, while demanding from Pristina and Belgrade to implement, as well, all previous agreements reached during dialogue.

The EU insists that the agreement and annexes, despite not being signed by the parties, are legal obligations for both countries.

Serbia through its officials has repeatedly said it will not implement part of the agreement dealing with territorial integrity and Kosovo's accession to international organisations. REL