At the Committee sitting held on 27 November, the Deputy Prime Minister in Charge of European Integration, Bozidar Djelic elaborated the European Commission Report on Serbia’s progress in the European integration process. The sitting was chaired by Laslo Varga, Committee Chairman.

Deputy Prime Minister Djelic pointed out that this report is the first official EU document which states specific conditions and dates concerning Serbia’s further approach to the EU. He stressed that the possibility opens for Serbia to receive the status of candidate for European Union membership in 2009, if it fulfills the set political conditions, above all if it establishes cooperation with the Hague Tribunal.

Djelic said that, at the beginning of December, the Government will adopt an additional action plan for 2009 in order to fulfill the obligations essential for the liberalisation of the visa regime as soon as possible. The topic will be discussed at the meeting of the representatives of Western Balkan countries and the EU, to be held on 18 December.

Deputy Prime Minister Djelic reminded all present that the National Assembly had passed nine of the total 51 laws harmonising Serbia’s legal system with EU law and that the Government has forwarded 15 more laws into Assembly procedure.

In the discussion, the Committee members expressed their belief that the Government, and not the National Assembly presents an obstacle to Serbia’s speedier accession to the EU. It was said that the National Assembly should enable a rapid adoption of European laws thanks to the solutions in its new Rules of Procedure.

In the debate, the Committee also objected that the Government does not implement appropriate activities against corruption which the European Commission Report listed as one of the key problems in Serbia.

At the sitting, the Committee invited the Serbian citizens possessing old travel documents to replace them as soon as possible by new documents, harmonised with European standards, in order to speed up the process of visa regime liberalisation.

The Committee stated that although Serbia’s inclusion in the so-called White Schengen List mostly depends on the promptness of the authorised institutions, it depends on Serbian citizens as well.