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Signing SAA with EU possible by end of year
Belgrade,
9 July 2007
Advisor to the Serbian Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Ksenija Milivojevic said today that political will and increasing the pace of procedures could make it possible for the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU to be signed by the end of the year.
In a statement to the news agency Tanjug, Milivojevic commented on a remark by European Commission Director for Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia Kosovo Issues Pierre Mirel that due to procedural reasons it is not realistic that the SAA is signed before the beginning of next year. She said that granted there is political will, despite complicated procedures which might take time it is possible to accelerate the entire process to that the SAA could be singed by the end of the year.
She said that agreement was reached with the European Commission that the SAA be initialled by the end of September or beginning of October, following which the procedure of signing would begin.
Milivojevic explained that that procedure implies translation of documents in 23 official EU languages, a declaration by the European Parliament on the SAA and unanimous consent to signing by all 27 member states.
Initialling the SAA will be accompanied by the signing of an interim agreement with the EU which will come into force immediately, she said. She added that this will allow instant implementation of the SAA, before it is ratified by the 27 member states.
According to Milivojevic, the interim agreement is being signed so that implementation of the SAA may not be postponed, which must be ratified by all EU member states to come into force.
She said that agreement was reached with the European Commission that the SAA be initialled by the end of September or beginning of October, following which the procedure of signing would begin.
Milivojevic explained that that procedure implies translation of documents in 23 official EU languages, a declaration by the European Parliament on the SAA and unanimous consent to signing by all 27 member states.
Initialling the SAA will be accompanied by the signing of an interim agreement with the EU which will come into force immediately, she said. She added that this will allow instant implementation of the SAA, before it is ratified by the 27 member states.
According to Milivojevic, the interim agreement is being signed so that implementation of the SAA may not be postponed, which must be ratified by all EU member states to come into force.
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