President of the European Council Herman van Rompuy stated today that EU leaders decided today that the accession talks with Serbia should start by January 2014, which is a historic moment for the Balkans and Europe as a whole.
Jose Manuel Barroso and Herman van Rompuy
Author:
Fonet
Van Rompuy underlined at a press conference that there are no new conditions for the start of negotiations and announced that in January 2014 an inter-governmental conference with Serbia will be held, by which negotiations on EU membership will be opened formally.
He also announced his visit to Belgrade on 1 July during which he will highlight the importance of the progress made in the process of European integration.
President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso welcomed the decision to set the date for the start of negotiations with Serbia, describing it as a historic event.