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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Serbia to prepare replies to EU accession questionnaire

Belgrade, 16 December 2009

Deputy Prime Minister for EU integration Bozidar Djelic today stated that Serbia is preparing to answer around 4,000 technical questions from the EU accession questionnaire.

On the second day of the conference “EU and the Treaty of Lisbon: A New Opportunity for Serbia” Djelic said that Serbia has already received questionnaires from the neighbouring countries and distributed them to the relevant ministries, where the replies are being drafted.

He voiced his belief that, after the successful talks on the Stabilisation and Association Agreement and reforms related with the visa liberalisation, Serbia will also show its capacity in the administration domain.

However, this capacity should not be overestimated since it is not sufficient for proper talks on EU entry, although the integration process is currently at a satisfactory level, Djelic noted.

Having stressed that the EU is a project of peace, a set of values behind an idea, Djelic noted that Serbia must start behaving and thinking as if it were already an EU member, since that is the best way to EU accession.

He specified that in 2010 Serbia will contribute by participating in the Southeast European transportation community, the Danube Strategy, the Roma Inclusion programme and by resolving issues pertaining to IDPs and refugees.

While EU integration is underway, we will pay special attention to knowledge and try to prevent the brain drain, Djelic said, noting that now that we have achieved visa liberalisation, formal freedom must become a reality for Serbian citizens.

Corridor 10 is a crucial element for the transportation community and will be completed by spring 2012, he said, noting that €1.7 billion has already been earmarked for this purpose.

Having recalled that Serbia recently received the first report from its State Audit Institution, Djelic said that by 2011 Serbia should also receive the certificate for all five components of the European budget in order to develop financial mechanisms that will enable the state to receive structural funds as soon as possible.

The parties and parliament in Serbia should leave more room for communication and cooperation with European parliaments and parties, Djelic said.

Head of the European Commission Delegation to Serbia Vincent Degert said that Serbia has made two significant steps on the EU road, these being visa liberalisation and the unfreezing of the interim trade agreement, which will allow Serbia a better approach to the European market. The conference was organised by the Serbian EU Integration Office and the Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence.

The event gathered representatives of public administrations from both Serbia and EU member states, with the aim of opening a debate on the new institutional arrangement of the EU, envisaged by the Lisbon Treaty, and its influence on Serbia's perspective for further EU integration.