At its sitting held on 14 September, the European Integrations Committee discussed the First Report on the Implementation of the Plan for Achieving Priorities of European Partnership. The sitting was chaired by Suzana Grubjesic.

Presenting the Report to members of the Committee, the Deputy Prime Minister, Ivana Dulic-Markovic, underlined that progress had been made in each of the five priority segments of the European Partnership. The legislative framework for reforming public administration has been nearly completed, in co-operation with the National Assembly. An important step has been made in the field of judiciary reform with the adoption of the national strategy and the formation of the High Judicial Council. In addition, laws regulating civilian and democratic control of the armed forces, the armed forces as a whole, defence, and security forces, have been prepared, and should be passed without delay. At the end of her address, Ms Dulic-Markovic specially stressed the importance of revising the Plan for Achieving Priorities of European Partnership, as Serbia had taken over powers of the former State Union in June.

The Director of the Government’s EU Integration Office, Tanja Miscevic, told the Committee that the European Commission would be informed, in early October, of the results achieved so far by Serbia in implementing the priorities. She particularly singled out the importance of the role played by the National Assembly in the EU accession process.

The discussion concluded that National Assembly must continue capacity-building to be able to finish reforms currently in progress, which would ensure Serbia’s integration into the EU. It was also underlined that the National Assembly and the Government should exert additional efforts aimed at signing the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the European Union by the end of the year.

The Committee unanimously endorsed the Government’s First Report on the Implementation of the Plan for Achieving Priorities of European Partnership.