Minister of European Integration Nemanja Starović stated in Budapest today that the enlargement of the European Union represents a key test of authenticity of the Union’s strategic commitments, pointing out that the Western Balkans region is already deeply integrated into the European economic area, but that political integration is not yet complete.
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EU accession process as main framework for Serbia’s internal reforms
Belgrade/Budapest,
10 March 2026
At the 10th annual Budapest Balkans Forum, Starović participated in the panel “Walking the Walk: Enlargement and the Western Balkans“.
He pointed out that the Western Balkans are geographically surrounded by EU member states and that the economies of the region are already strongly connected to the European market.
According to him, in the case of Serbia almost two-thirds of trade takes place with the EU, which is also the largest investor in the Serbian economy.
The Minister pointed out that reforms in Serbia are real and continuous and that the EU accession process represents the main framework for internal changes in the country.
Speaking about concrete steps that would demonstrate greater commitment to enlargement, Starović mentioned the gradual integration of our region into the Single European Market, as well as the European Commission's initiative to start negotiations on the Roam Like at Home (RLAH) regime.
He also highlighted the importance of the region's potential inclusion in the Schengen Area, stating that the Western Balkans today function in a certain way as an internal external border of the EU, because it is geographically within the European space, but still separated by borders that slow down trade and the movement of people.
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Author: Ministry of European Integration -
Author: Ministry of European Integration
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