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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

New energy in European Commission regarding EU enlargement

Belgrade/Rome, 19 December 2019

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic assessed today, after the talks with new EU Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi, that together with the new European Commission, a new energy has come with regard to EU enlargement.

Brnabic said after the meeting, held on the sidelines of the Summit of the Central European Initiative (CEI), that this gives reasons for optimism that Serbia can expect much clearer signals for accession.

She stressed that today's meeting with the European Commissioner for Enlargement was very good and that Varhelyi confirmed this new energy.

The Prime Minister conveyed Varhelyi's view that with the new methodology, which we can expect, European integration can only go in the direction of much faster dynamics and much clearer conditions for EU aspirants, as well as much more predictability and clearer signals for countries such as is Serbia, Brnabic underlined.

She explained that the new enlargement methodology proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron would mean that more money from the European budget would be allocated to countries that are in the process of EU accession for the implementation of reforms.

According to her, Serbia has come a long way in the negotiations with the EU, and the economic results give an image of a stable country that can only contribute to the stability and strength of the EU.

The meeting looked at the funds that could follow the new methodology, which is to the credit of President Macron, Brnabic said, adding that those funds would be allocated for infrastructure projects, economic development and economic cooperation with the EU.

She said that she also spoke with Varhelyi about the possibility of his visit to Serbia by the end of January next year, as well as about the election conditions in our country.

Brnabic explained that it was also discussed what the electoral conditions are today compared to 2012, as well as what has been done and how big the commitment of both the President and the Government of Serbia is to work with the EU and with European MPs.

The Prime Minister pointed out that she also talked to Varhelyi about the steel import quotas introduced by the EU to all third countries, including Serbia, and what the policy of the new European Commission in relation to this issue will be, which is extremely important in the economic, but in the political sense too.

She said Varhelyi promised to discuss the matter with European Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan, and announced that she will travel to Brussels to discuss this matter.

At the same time, Brnabic emphasised that the CEI Summit is very important because of regional cooperation and integration, but also because of Serbia's cooperation with EU member states, which are also part of the initiative.

The Prime Minister said that the meeting highlighted a clear commitment to the progress of the enlargement agenda within the EU, and that it was a historical mistake of the Union not to open accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania.

Brnabic said that she also had very good bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit, with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and Moldovan Prime Minister Ion Chicu.