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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

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Joksimovic meets with coordinators of six negotiation clusters

Belgrade, 28 May 2021

Minister for European Integration and Chief Negotiator in the talks on Serbia's accession to the European Union Jadranka Joksimovic met today with the newly appointed coordinators of six negotiation clusters.

The interlocutors discussed the implemented activities and the next steps of the line ministries in order to accelerate preparations for the continuation of negotiations according to the new methodology.

The Serbian government has recently, in accordance with the changed negotiation structure, appointed new coordinators from the ranks of State Secretaries or Assistant Ministers and they are in charge of the areas of Basics, Internal Market, Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth, Green Agreement and Sustainable Connectivity, Resources, Agriculture and Cohesion and External Relations.

Joksimovic pointed to the increased responsibility of line ministries for the implementation of reforms, highlighting the importance of reforms in the area of the rule of law, which are also the key criteria for the continuation of negotiations.

The Minister said that the activities from Cluster 3 - Inclusive Growth and Competitiveness and Cluster 4 - Green Agenda, Digitalisation and Sustainable Connectivity were discussed, which, with a positive assessment from the European Commission for implemented reforms in the field of the rule of law, could be ready for opening.

She specified that Serbia sent two more negotiation positions from Cluster 3, for Chapter 10 - Information Society and the Media and 19 - Social Policy and Employment.

Today, after the completion of all necessary procedures in the Serbian parliament and government, we sent the negotiation position for Chapter 16 - Taxation, also from Cluster 3, which completed the preparation for Cluster 3 - Inclusive Growth and Competitiveness, Joksimovic explained.

According to her, that means that the government has responsibly continued to achieve the goals to which it has committed itself in the process of European integration.

Regarding Cluster 4 - Green Agenda, Digitalisation and Sustainable Interconnection of four chapters, three have already been submitted to the EC, and the last negotiation Chapter 15 - Energy, with very demanding criteria in the form of action plans for the gas sector, has also been finalised in recent weeks in intensive communication with the European Commission.

An agreement on final activities was reached at the meeting, with the aim of sending Chapter 15 to the European Commission soon, by which Cluster 4 will be prepared in its entirety.

In addition, progress in all other clusters was reviewed and the dynamics of activities were agreed, as well as regular inter-ministerial reporting to the government, but also to the European Commission, which will contribute to accelerating the accession process.