The European Integrations Committee held its second sitting on 16 July, chaired by Laslo Varga, Committee Chairman. At the beginning of the sitting, the Committee unanimously elected Donka Banovic from the Democratic Party of Serbia – New Serbia – Vojislav Kostunica Deputy Group as Deputy Chairperson.

At the sitting, the Committee members conducted a discussion in principle on the Bill on the Confirmation of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States on one and the Republic of Serbia on the other side.

The Bill was elaborated for the deputies by the Serbian Government’s Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration and Minister of Science and Technological Development, Bozidar Djelic, who stressed that the Agreement concerns the economy first of all and enables Serbia access to the biggest market in the world. Such an agreement is also a strong signal for domestic and foreign investors and for the first time, it protects Serbian brands.

Talking about Kosovo-Metohija, Djelic stated that act 135 of the Agreement clearly states that Serbia ratifies this document with Kosovo-Metohija as part of its territory.

The Committee adopted the Bill in principle by a majority of votes, while the Committee members from SRP and DPS Deputy Groups were against it. Deputies from the SRP Deputy Group requested that their amendments be adopted, while the DPS Deputy Group considered that the Agreement should be withdrawn from Assembly procedure with explaining that it is not its economic but its political part that is in dispute.

The Committee members adopted the Bill on the Confirmation of the Transitional Agreement on Trade and Trade Issues between the European Community on one and the Republic of Serbia on the other side by a majority of votes and without discussion.