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Barroso, Rehn stress European future for Balkans

Est. 3min

21-02-2006 (updated: 04-06-2012 )

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The prospect of the Western Balkans countries’ EU accession was the focus of Commission President Barroso’s visit to five states in the region. The Western Balkans “remain a high priority for the EU,” Barroso has said.

The highlights and the accomplishments of the leading EU officials’ tour of the Western Balkans included:

Croatia: During the first leg of their visit, Barroso and Rehn signed an Agreement on Decentralization of Management with Pre-Accession Assistance with the government of Croatia. Under the agreement, the Croatian government becomes the manager of the EU’s Phare (technical assistance for reform processes), ISPA (capital investments in environmental protection and transport), SAPARD (agriculture and rural development) and CARDS (development and stabilisation) programmes in the country, with the Commission retaining supervisory functions. Zagreb opened accession talks with the EU in October 2005 and expects to join the Union in 2009. 

Serbia-Montenegro: In Belgrade, Barroso warned the authorities that they should co-operate with the Hague tribunal for war crimes. Rehn said that he would like the nation and its leaders to take this obligation seriously if they want to establish a European future for Serbia and Montenegro. 

Kosovo: The EU officials also discussed the prospect of Kosovo’s independence. Negotiations on the future of the province started in Vienna on 20 February. Barroso said that all sides concerned should be prepared to compromise during the status talks.

Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM): Barroso told the leaders of the FYROM that the country must speed up its reform process in order to meet the EU’s criteria. He said that the country must demonstrate “significant progress […] before any further steps can be considered.” The FYROM was granted candidate status in December 2005.

Albania: Concluding three years of negotiations, the EU signed a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with Albania on 18 February 2006. The agreement represents a road map leading Albania to Europe. In 2001, Macedonia was the first country in the region to sign an SAA. In the same year, Croatia was the second. Final approval of Albania’s SAA is expected at the next EU summit in Vienna in June 2006.

Bosnia-Herzegovina: According to Barroso, the launch of negotiations for an SAA represents a new quality in relations between the EU and Bosnia-Herzegovina. He said that, in a “best-case scenario”, the SAA talks could be completed by the end of 2006. The conclusion of the SAA talks hinges on the country’s progress in reforms and its level of co-operation with the Hague international tribunal.

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Positions

Calling his visit a "message of confidence and encouragement", Barroso told Croatia's Prime Minister Ivo Sanader that "we are sure that Croatia will soon be a full EU member." He said that the signing of an agreement on decentralisation of pre-accession funds should be seen as a "clear sign of confidence" in Croatia. 

Commissioner Rehn told Serbia-Montenegro President Svetozar Marovic that "last year [...] we clearly said that significant progress must be made in co-operation with the [Hague] tribunal and complete co-operation must be achieved. We are not only interested in taking responsibility, we want results, not just words, we want actions and we expect that now." "You are a European country, and you should have a European future," Barroso told a news conference in Belgrade. 

In Kosovo, Barroso said that "only a democratic and multi-ethnic Kosovo that respects the rule of law and minority protection will be acceptable to the international community."

Commenting on Albania's signing of an SAA with the EU, Prime Minister Sali Berisha said that "we regard this moment as an obligation as well as an opportunity. We are committed to implementing the agreement to make real the nation's dream of integrating into the EU."

The head of Bosnia and Herzegovina's council of ministers, Adnan Terzic, has reiterated that the country is prepared to fulfil all commitments envisioned by the European partnership programme. 

In the FYROM, Barroso told Prime Minister Vlado Buckovski that "as has been true of all candidate countries since the first enlargement in 1973, you have to fulfil the political, economic, legal and administrative criteria." The next report on the country's progress is scheduled to be published by the Commission in November 2006.

Background

In a first-ever visit by the president of the Commission José Manuel Barroso, accompanied by Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, travelled last week to all the countries in the Western Balkans region that have yet to join the EU. The officials repeatedly said that in the future the whole of the region could be granted membership of the Union.

For now, only Croatia and Macedonia are officially recognised as candidates for EU membership, while none of the other states in the region have a clear timetable for EU accession. The EU considers 2006 a "watershed" year for the five countries in the region to find their way towards joining the Union.

Timeline

  • On 10 March, the EU's foreign ministers will assess the pace of political and economic reforms in the region at an informal meeting in Salzburg.

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