Tag: SAA

Serbia has overcome another hurdle on its path towards EU membership with today's (9 September) ratification by its parliament of a key pre-accession agreement offering the country closer trade relations and easier travel within the Union.

Despite the success of recent reforms and a burgeoning economy, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BH) has yet to overcome a number of hurdles on its path to EU accession, argues Lidija Topic in a June 2008 policy brief for the European Policy Centre.

The Serbian government decided yesterday (24 July) to return its ambassadors to those EU countries that have recognised Kosovo's independence, in a move aimed at further encouraging the bloc's leaders to grant Serbia candidate status, possibly by as early as the end of the year.

Just days before crucial parliamentary elections (11 May), the question of Serbia's future accession to the EU has become an issue of existential importance as the country's President Boris Tadic has received a death threat over his pro-EU stance.

With a vote in the Bosnian parliament yesterday (16 April) to reform the country's police forces, the Balkan state cleared the final hurdle towards signing a pre-membership deal with the EU.

The Commission’s reports on the Western Balkans show that the EU has taken a tougher line on future enlargements. Tackling issues of judiciary reform, corruption and organised crime are some of the key issues.

On 12 June 2006 Albania signed as the third Western Balkan state a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU. Negotiations on a similar agreement with newly independent Montenegro are underway.