Serbia and Kosovo have both declared their intention to join the EU. However, despite some initial successes, such as the Brussels Agreement of 2013, the dialogue facilitated by the EU and initiated in 2011 has stalled. The reasons for the very limited results are multiple, ranging from the internal political situation in both countries, to ambiguous and asymmetrical expectations of the normalisation agreement. Currently, the most sensitive issue, the setting-up of the association/community of Serbian municipalities in Kosovo, agreed in 2013, shows that the challenges are rooted deeply in history and have a much broader regional context.

EPRS podcast - Policy: Belgrade-Pristina dialogue: The rocky road towards a comprehensive normalisation agreement

In March 2012 Serbia was granted EU candidate status.

On 19 April 2013, after ten rounds of often grueling talks in the EU-facilitated Dialogue in Brussels, the intervenants reached a landmark agreement aimed at normalising relations between Serbia and Kosovo. Concrete results in the implementation of this agreement will bring about a brighter future and lasting stability to the region. In line with the decision of the European Council in June 2013 to open accession negotiations with Serbia, the Council adopted in December 2013 the negotiating framework and agreed to hold the 1st Intergovernmental Conference with Serbia in January 2014. On 21 January 2014, the 1st Intergovernmental Conference took place, signaling the formal start of Serbia’s accession negotiations.

EU - Serbia

The EU has developed a policy to support the gradual integration of the Western Balkan countries with the Union. The EU aims to promote peace, stability and economic development in the region&nbsp;and open up the prospect of EU integration.

In order to apply for EU membership a country has to be European and respect the EU’s democratic values. It also needs stable institutions guaranteeing democracy and the rule of law; a functioning market economy; and the ability to take on and carry out the obligations of EU membership.

Parliament is fully involved in the Stabilisation and Association Process &nbsp;and must also consent to any new accession to the EU. In addition, through its budgetary powers, it has direct influence over the amounts allocated to the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance. Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs appoints standing rapporteurs for all candidate and potential candidate countries. Parliament expresses its positions on enlargement in the form of annual resolutions responding to the Commission’s latest annual country reports.

On 1&nbsp;July&nbsp;2013, Croatia became the first of the seven countries to join, and Montenegro, Serbia, the Republic of North Macedonia and Albania are official candidates. Accession negotiations and chapters have been opened with Montenegro and Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo are potential candidate countries.

EU Enlargement - Western Balkans

16th Meeting of the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee - Voting session

16th Meeting of the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee

EP Plenary session - Political crisis in Serbia

EP Plenary session - Voting session

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Ana BRNABIĆ, Serbian Speaker of Serbia

Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association  Parliamentary Committee Constitutive meeting

EP Plenary session - Council and Commission statements- Situation in Serbia following elections

Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee Ordinary meeting

AFET -  Exchange of views on the recent developments between Serbia and Kosovo

Press conference on the 2022 Commission Reports on Kosovo and Serbia

EP Plenary session - 2022 Report on Serbia

Study visit - Newly elected Members of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia

The EU-Serbia SAPC meeting

Press conference on the 2021 reports on Serbia and Kosovo

Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee - Election of the Chair

AFET Committee - Vote assessment of the progress made towards EU membership by Bosnia Herzegovina, Kosovo and Serbia

AFET Committee - Report on the 2021 Commission Report on Kosovo and Serbia

Parliament hold urgent debates on the human rights, democracy and rule of law topics and especially on the forced labour in the Linglong factory and environmental protests in Serbia.

Forced labour in the Linglong factory and environmental protests in Serbia: closing statement by Janez LENARČIČ, European Commissioner for Crisis Management

David SASSOLI, EP President meets with Miroslav LAJCAK, EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina in the European Parliament in Brussels: arrival, welcome; and roundtable

David SASSOLI, EP President meets with Miroslav LAJCAK, EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina: arrival, welcome; and roundtable

David SASSOLI, EP President, invites speakers from the parliaments of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia to meet for the Summit of EP - Western Balkans’ Speakers of Parliament. They debate the role that parliaments should play in EU post-COVID-19 enlargement.

2nd EP - Western Balkans Speakers' summit chaired by David SASSOLI, EP President; arrivals, roundtable, signing of joint declaration of Western Balkans Speakers Summit 2021 and family photo

Members of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) hold an exchange of views with the Speakers of the Parliaments from the Western Balkans on the key role of Parliaments in the EU enlargement proces, in Brussels. Extracts from the meeting with the EP delegations for the Western Balkan and with the Speakers of the Western Balkans’ parliaments.

2nd European Parliament - Western Balkans Speakers Summit: extracts from the meeting with the EP delegations for the Western Balkan and with the Speakers of the Western Balkans’ parliaments

During the plenary session (24-25 March 2021) in the European Parliament in Brussels, MEPs debate on 2019-2020 progress reports on Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia. Opening statements by Isabel SANTOS (S&D, PT), Albania rapporteur; Viola VON CRAMON-TAUBADEL (Greens/EFA, DE), Kosovo rapporteur; Ilhan KYUCHYUK (Renew, BG), North Macedonia rapporteur and Vladimír BILČÍK (EPP, SK), Serbia rapporteur. After that, statements also by Olivér VÁRHELYI, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement and by Ana Paula ZACARIAS, Portuguese Secretary of State for European Affairs. (This transcription speech is the result of an automatic process. Check against delivery).

Joint debate on 2019-2020 progress reports on Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia: opening statements by Isabel SANTOS (S&D, PT), Viola VON CRAMON-TAUBADEL (Greens/EFA, DE), Ilhan KYUCHYUK (Renew, BG) and Vladimír BILČÍK (EPP, SK)

During the plenary session (24-25 March 2021) in the European Parliament in Brussels, MEPs debate on 2019-2020 progress reports on Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia.

Joint debate - 2019-2020 Progress reports on Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia: MEPs debate

Viola VON CRAMON-TAUBADEL (Greens/EFA, DE), EP Standing Rapporteur for Kosovo, and Vladimír BILČÍK (EPP, SK), EP Standing Rapporteur for Serbia, give a press conference after they presented their reports in a joint debate during the plenary session. This transcription speech is the result of an automatic process. Check against delivery.

Press conference by Viola VON CRAMON-TAUBADEL (Greens/EFA, DE), EP Standing Rapporteur for Kosovo, and Vladimír BILČÍK (EPP, SK), EP Standing Rapporteur for Serbia

During the plenary session (24-25 March 2021) in the European Parliament in Brussels, MEPs debate on 2019-2020 progress reports on Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia. Closing statements by Olivér VÁRHELYI, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement and by Ana Paula ZACARIAS, Portuguese Secretary of State for European Affairs.

Joint debate - 2019-2020 Progress reports on Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia: closing statements by Olivér VÁRHELYI, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement and by Ana Paula ZACARIAS, Portuguese Secretary of State

Visit of Ana BRNABIĆ, Serbian Prime Minister, to the European Parliament in Brussels. Arrival welcome by David SASSOLI, EP President, and roundtable.

David SASSOLI, EP President meets with Ana BRNABIĆ, Serbian Prime Minister: arrival and roundtable

Speakers of the parliaments of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia as well as the president of Croatia’s Parliament gather to discuss the Western Balkans’ European perspectives, in the European Parliament in Brussels. The summit is organised under the patronage of David SASSOLI, Ep President, in cooperation with the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Delegation for relations with the Western Balkans. Statement by David SASSOLI, EP President

Parliamentary Summit with the Western Balkans: arrivals, roundtable and statement by David SASSOLI, EP President

The EP Conference of President meets to discuss on the Parliamentary Summit with the Western Balkans. Speakers of the parliaments of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia as well as the president of Croatia’s Parliament gather to discuss the Western Balkans’ European perspectives, in the European Parliament in Brussels. The summit is organised under the patronage of David SASSOLI, Ep President, in cooperation with the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Delegation for relations with the Western Balkans.

Extraordinary Conference of Presidents on the Parliamentary Summit with the Western Balkans: arrivals and roundtable

At his arrival to the EU-Western Balkan Summit in Sofia, Bulgaria, Antonio TAJANI, EP President, speaks to the press about Mark ZUCKERBERG's coming to the EP and about the relations with the Western Balkan.

EU-Western Balkan Summit in Sofia, Bulgaria: arrival of Antonio TAJANI, EP President and statement

Antonio TAJANI, EP President, speaks to the press on the occasion of the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Sofia, Bulgaria

EU-Western Balkans Summit in Sofia, Bulgaria: extracts from the press conference by Antonio TAJANI, EP President

On the occasion of the EU-Western Balkan Summit in Sofia, Bulgaria, Antonio TAJANI, EP President meets with Aleksandar VUCIC, President of the Serbian Republic

EU-Western Balkan Summit in Sofia, Bulgaria: Antonio TAJANI, EP President meets with Aleksandar VUCIC, President of the Serbian Republic

Antonio TAJANI, EP President, speaks to the press about the EU-Western Balkan Summit in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Press conference by Antonio TAJANI, EP President, on EU-Western Balkan Summit in Sofia, Bulgaria

EPP leaders meet ahead of the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Sofia. Arrival of Antonio TAJANI, EP President, Johannes HAHN, Donald TUSK, Viktor ORBÁN, Silvio BERLUSCONI, Leo VARADKAR, and statement by Antonio TAJANI.

EPP Western Balkans Summit: arrivals and statement by Antonio TAJANI, EP President

Family photo with Boyko BORISSOV, Bulgarian Prime Minister, and Antonio TAJANI, EP President, on the occasion of the EPP Western Balkans Summit in Sofia, Burlgaria

EPP Western Balkans Summit: family photo

On the occasion of the EU-Western Balkan Summit in Sofia, Bulgaria, Antonio TAJANI, EP President meets with Sebastian KURZ, Chancellor of Austria and with Boyko BORISSOV, Prime Minister of Bulgaria

EU-Western Balkan Summit in Sofia, Bulgaria: Antonio TAJANI, EP President meets with Sebastian KURZ, Chancellor of Austria and with Boyko BORISSOV, Prime Minister of Bulgaria

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