EC: Cluster 3 ready for opening, Belgrade and Pristina must implement agreements

BRUSSELS - In its 2024 draft report on Serbia, the European Commission says Cluster 3 on Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth in Serbia's EU accession talks is technically ready for opening, and notes that the overall pace of the negotiations will continue to depend on rule of law reforms and normalisation of Belgrade-Pristina relations.

The report will be unveiled in Brussels on Wednesday, after which it will be presented to Serbian PM Milos Vucevic in Belgrade by the head of the EU Delegation to Serbia, Emanuele Giaufret.

The draft report analyses Serbia's progress on Cluster 1, which deals with the fundamentals of the EU accession process, as well as its progress on good-neighbourly relations and regional cooperation, normalisation of Belgrade-Pristina relations and the ability to undertake obligations issuing from EU membership.

In the section on the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, the approx. 100 page draft report, seen by Tanjug, says both parties are expected to meet commitments from an agreement on the path to normalisation of relations, including the establishment of a Community of Serb Municipalities.

The EC says Pristina is expected to launch a process that will lead to the establishment of the Community based on an EU proposal presented on October 21 last year, while Belgrade is expected to, in parallel, start meeting its commitments under the agreement by launching a process of recognising "Kosovo documents, symbols and institutions."

The draft report also notes that, since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, Serbia has aligned with some of the EU positions in international forums, including the UN General Assembly, and that it has continued to cooperate with the EU on the bypassing of sanctions and on providing financial and humanitarian support to Ukraine.

It also says Serbia has still not aligned with any restrictive measures against Russia or with the majority of statements made by the EU High Representative on that issue, maintaining high-level relations with Russia and stepping up its relations with China.

This raises questions about Serbia's strategic direction, the EC said.

Serbia is expected to gradually align its policy on third countries with the policies and positions adopted by the EU, including with restrictive measures, the document adds.