D-RS - European Parliament

General documents - Statement by the Chair of the European Parliament Delegation to the EU-Serbia SAPC Alessandra Moretti - Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 12:17:12 GMT

Press Release

21-06-2023

Following the 15th meeting of the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee, Chair Alessandra Moretti (S&D, IT) made the following statement:

We regret that it was not possible to reach agreement on a joint statement of the Co-Chairs of the SAPC.

People across Serbia, and we all, are deeply shaken by the terrible events which unfolded on 3 and 4 May and led to the loss of many innocent lives. Our Delegation visited the elementary school Vladislav Ribnikar to pay our respects and sign the book of condolences. We mourn that so many lives were stolen or changed forever in a matter of minutes, first at this school and shortly after in villages near Mladenovac.

Many citizens have since then been expressing their unease about the level of violence in Serbian society. They are anxious about the deteriorating discourse, both in public and in their parliament. So far seven protest marches have taken place. It is crucial that all act responsibly, so that citizens can continue to express their opinions peacefully, safely and without fear. We count on the police and the authorities to fulfil their duties and secure a safe space for these protests. We are aware of the demands of the protesters and have concluded that many of these demands concern issues that are also addressed in the resolution on Serbia that our Parliament adopted on 10 May this year.

The Serbian Parliament must remain the forum where the problems that the country is facing, but also the desired EU membership, are debated and decided upon seriously, orderly and respectfully. Unfortunately, the quality of the debates has been increasingly deteriorating in recent times. This is a worrying development, and a special responsibility lies with the political actors in the country. We call on all of them to live up to the challenges of the moment, to behave in a civilised way, refrain from hate speech and treat those who hold a different opinion with due respect. We are deeply concerned about the media freedom situation in Serbia and call on the media to act responsibly and objectively, and observe professional journalistic standards and ethics.

We are also deeply worried about the state of play of the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and the latest developments in the north of Kosovo. We reiterate that all incidents need to be duly investigated and that there cannot be impunity. The European Parliament is following the situation very closely, and we urge all parties involved to do what it takes to de-escalate tensions immediately.

We want to stress once again that the European Parliament stands in solidarity with Ukraine and that we expect the same from all candidate countries, as EU membership is their declared strategic objective and they therefore need to subscribe to our community of values. Regrettably, Serbia stands out as the only Western Balkan country that has so far not aligned with EU sanctions on Russia. As a result, its CFSP alignment has decreased significantly. This is also mirrored in our resolution of 10 May, in which we reiterate our position that 'accession negotiations with Serbia should advance only if the country aligns with EU sanctions against Russia and makes significant progress on EU-related reforms'.

Finally, we also recognise some reforms which still need to be implemented as well as recent positive developments, which include economic progress in Serbia and the increase of EU support, which amounts to EUR 400 million per year over 2020-2022.

Profile of Alessandra Moretti (S&D, IT)
Statement by the Chair of the European Parliament Delegation to the EU-Serbia SAPC Alessandra Moretti

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

Latest news - Meeting of 8 June 2023, Brussels - Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee

Wed, 07 Jun 2023 16:19:37 GMT

The D-RS delegation meeting will take place on 8 June 2023 in Brussels. This meeting is aimed to prepare the 15th EU-Serbia SAPC meeting due to be held on 20-21 June 2023 in Belgrade.

The meeting will also include an exchange of views on the political and economic situation in Serbia and its relations with the European Union with:

H.E. Ms Ana HRUSTANOVIĆ, Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia to the EU,

Mr Michael MILLER, Head of Unit for Montenegro and Serbia in the European Commission,

Ms Elsa FENET, Head of Division 'South‑East Europe & Western Balkans' in the European External Action Service.

Draft agenda 8 June 2023
Meeting documents 8 June 2023

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

General documents - 14th EU-Serbia SAPC, 23-24 November 2022, Strasbourg - Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 19:43:48 GMT

The European Union-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee held its 14th meeting in Strasbourg on 23 and 24 November 2022 under the the co-chairmanship of Ms Alessandra MORETTI for the European Parliament Delegation and Ms Marinika TEPIĆ for the National Assembly of Republic of Serbia Delegation.

The Members of the Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee addressed the following subjects:

- State of play of the accession negotiations and EU-Serbia relations in the presence of

Ms Tanja MIŠČEVIĆ, Minister for EU Integration, on behalf of the Government of Serbia,
Mr Jaroslav KURFÜRST, Deputy Minister for Europe, on behalf of the Czech Presidency-in-Office of the Council of the EU,
Mr Michael MILLER, Head of Unit for Montenegro and Serbia, DG NEAR, on behalf of the European Commission,
Mr Clive RUMBOLD, Senior expert, 'South‑East Europe & Western Balkans' Division, on behalf of the European External Action Service;

- Cluster 1 - Fundamentals, with a focus on Chapters 23 and 24, including fundamental rights, freedom of expression and assembly and the implementation of the constitutional amendments;

- EU-Serbia cooperation in CFSP/CSDP and alignment with the CFSP;

- EU-facilitated Dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina;

- State of play of Cluster 4 with a focus on chapter 27 on environment and climate change;

- Cluster 3 - Competitiveness and inclusive growth with a focus on economic development.

Agenda
Meeting documents
Declaration and Recommendations 14th EU-Serbia SAPC, 23-24 November 2022
Press release, 14th EU-Serbia SAPC, 23-24 November 2022

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

General documents - SAPC Co-Chair calls on Serbia to align with EU sanctions - Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee

Thu, 24 Nov 2022 12:37:29 GMT

Press Release

24-11-2022

Statement by Alessandra MORETTI, Chair of the EP Delegation to the EU‑Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee.

Following the 14th meeting of the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee (SAPC) the Chair of the EP Delegation to the EU-Serbia SAPC said:

"I welcome that its 14th meeting in Strasbourg the SAPC adopted joint recommendations noting that at this moment Serbia has not aligned with any EU restrictive measures against Russia following its war of aggression against Ukraine. In the current geopolitical context, alignment of accession countries with the EU's common foreign and security policy is crucial and we need Serbia as an ally to demonstrate progress in this respect. I call on the Serbian authorities to align with EU restrictive measures as a matter of priority and refrain from actions that go in the opposite direction. Serbia needs to make a clear and resolute choice for Europe.

The limited progress or lack of progress in multiple key EU integration areas is increasingly a matter of concern for us. In the field of media freedom and freedom of expression, implementation of the media strategy remains key, and violence against and intimidation of journalists and other media workers are not compatible with Serbia's aspirations to join the EU.

I welcome the return to a more pluralistic National Assembly following the 3 April elections. I also welcome Serbia's continued engagement on the path of integration into the EU and encourage the new government to actively promote this strategic decision among the Serbian public whose support for EU accession is currently the lowest in the region.

The overall progress of Serbia's EU accession process, besides alignment with EU restrictive measures against Russia, continues to depend on rule of law reforms and on the advancement of normalisation talks with Pristina, where both parties bear full responsibility to urgently de-escalate the current crisis and prevent any violence that might occur on the ground.

The EP Delegation to the EU-Serbia SAPC is committed to continuous strengthening of the very good relations between the two parliaments and stands ready to help Serbia progress on its path towards EU membership."

Delegations of the European Parliament and the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia met on 23-24 November, for the 14th meeting of the EU Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee. The meeting was co-chaired by Ms Alessandra Moretti (S&D, IT) and her Serbian counterpart Ms Marinika TEPIĆ (UNITED PG). Parliamentarians held in-depth discussions on a number of key issues, including the implementation of the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Agreement, Serbia's progress in rule of law areas, alignment with EU foreign policy and the Belgrade‑Pristina Dialogue, environmental protection, economic development.

Further information

Profile of Alessandra Moretti (S&D, IT)

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

General documents - 13th EU-Serbia SAPC, 28 October 2021, remote - Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee

Sun, 13 Nov 2022 23:07:28 GMT

The European Union-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee held its 13th meeting remote, through Interactio, on 28 October 2021 under the the co-chairmanship of Ms Tanja FAJON for the European Parliament Delegation and Mr Vladimir ORLIĆ for the National Assembly of Republic of Serbia Delegation.

The Members of the Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee addressed the following subjects:

State of play of the accession negotiations and EU-Serbia relations in the presence of Ms Jadranka JOKSIMOVIĆ, Minister for European Integration, on behalf of the Government of Serbia, Mr Gašper DOVŽAN, State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, on behalf of the Slovenian Presidency-in-Office of the Council of the EU, Ms Catherine WENDT, Head of Unit for Montenegro and Serbia, DG NEAR, on behalf of the European Commission and Ms Elsa FENET, Head of Division 'South‑East Europe & Western Balkans' in the European External Action Service;
Developments under negotiating Cluster 1 - Fundamentals, with a focus on Chapters 23 and 24, Judiciary, Fundamental Rights, Justice, Freedom and Security;
Economic development.

Agenda 28 October 2021
Meeting documents 28 October 2021
Web streaming of the meeting 28 October 2021 a.m.
Web streaming of the meeting 28 October 2021 p.m.
Press release 13th EU-Serbia SAPC, 28 October 2021
Declaration and Recommendations 13th EU-Serbia SAPC, 28 October 2021
Minutes 13th EU-Serbia SAPC, 28 October 2021

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

General documents - Meeting of 10 November 2022, Brussels - Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee

Sun, 13 Nov 2022 23:00:10 GMT

The D-RS delegation meeting took place on 10 November 2022 in Brussels. This meeting prepared the 14th EU-Serbia SAPC meeting due to be held on 23-24 November 2022 in Strasbourg.

The meeting also included an exchange of views on the political and economic situation in Serbia and its relations with the European Union with:

H.E. Ms Ana HRUSTANOVIĆ, Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia to the EU,

Mr Michael MILLER, Head of Unit for Montenegro and Serbia in the European Commission,

Ms Elsa FENET, Head of Division 'South‑East Europe & Western Balkans' in the European External Action Service.

Draft agenda 10 November 2022
Meeting documents 10 November 2022

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

General documents - Meeting of 23 June 2022, Brussels - Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee

Sun, 13 Nov 2022 22:59:45 GMT

At the beginning of the meeting Ms Alessandra MORETTI was elected as the new Chair of the Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee.

The meeting also included:

Debriefing by Mr Thijs REUTEN, Head of the EP Election Observation Delegation on the 3 April 2022 general elections in Serbia;

Exchange of views with Mr Miloš TODOROVIĆ, Deputy Head of Mission of the Republic of Serbia to the EU and with Mr Michael MILLER, Head of Unit for Montenegro and Serbia in the DG Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations of European Commission, Mr Clive RUMBOLD, Senior expert, Division 'South‑East Europe & Western Balkans' in the EEAS on the 3 April 2022 presidential, early parliamentary and Belgrade city elections in Serbia and the formation of the new government.

Draft agenda 23 June 2022
Meeting documents 23 June 2022
Minutes 23 June 2022

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

General documents - Annual Resolutions on Commission Reports on Serbia - Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee

Sun, 02 Oct 2022 15:38:44 GMT

Most relevant resolutions are those scrutinising the accession process. MEPs always underline that the implementation of reforms and policies remains a key indicator of the integration process and adopted laws are just a preparation to a real change.

The resolutions dedicate a lot of attention to the Kosovo-Serbia Dialogue. The Parliament closely links normalisation of relations between the two countries with their progress towards the EU membership.

The rule of law, functioning of the democratic institutions and human rights are in the focus, especially gender equality and situation of vulnerable groups, including minorities. The resolutions address the economic and political reforms, alignment with EU's positions in external relations (including relations with Russia) as well as on issues such as the migration crisis, energy, regional cooperation, good neighbourly relations as well as the investigation and prosecution of war crimes.

Resolution of 6 July 2022 on the 2021 Commission Report on Serbia
Resolution of 25 March 2021 on the 2019-2020 Commission Report on Serbia
Resolution of 29 November 2018 on the 2018 Commission Report on Serbia
Resolution of 14 June 2017 on the 2016 Commission Report on Serbia
Resolution of 4 February 2016 on the 2015 Commission Report on Serbia
Resolution of 11 March 2015 on the 2014 Commission Report on Serbia
Resolution of 16 January 2014 on the 2013 Commission Report on Serbia

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

General documents - Meeting of 3 March 2022, remote - Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee

Mon, 27 Jun 2022 10:59:40 GMT

The meeting included:

1) an assessment of the implementation of the conclusions of the EP-facilitated Inter-Party Dialogue by Co-Facilitators Ms Tanja FAJON and Mr Vladimír BILČÍK;

2) an exchange of views on the 3 April 2022 presidential, early parliamentary and Belgrade city elections in Serbia with:

Ms Nataša DRAGOJLOVIĆ, President of the National Convention on the European Union in Serbia (NCEU);
Mr Bojan KLAČAR, Executive Director, Center for Free Elections and Democracy (CeSID);
Mr Rasa NEDELJKOV, Program Director, Center for Research, Transparency and Accountability (CRTA).

Agenda 3 March 2022
Meeting documents 3 March 2022
Minutes 3 March 2022

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

General documents - Serbia: Statement by leading MEPs after the elections - Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 10:31:24 GMT

5 April 2022

Vladimír Bilčík and Tanja Fajon welcome a return to a more pluralistic Parliament in Serbia, while regretting the highly polarised political environment of the election campaign.

Following the parliamentary and presidential elections on 3 April 2022, the Standing Rapporteur for Serbia Vladimír Bilčík (EPP, SK) and the Chair of the Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee Tanja Fajon (S&D, SL), issued the following statement on Tuesday:

"We welcome the increased voter turnout and the return to a more pluralistic Parliament in Serbia following the extensive participation of parties and candidates from a broad political spectrum in the 3 April elections.

We regret the highly polarised political environment of the campaign, marked by limited media pluralism and government pressure on voters. We condemn the violent attack on one of the opposition leaders, Pavle Grbović, on Election Day. We regret that Serbs from Kosovo were unable to cast their votes close to their homes with the assistance of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) as has been the case on a number of previous occasions. We also regret the unclear communication by the Republic Electoral Commission (REC) on preliminary election results following the closure of polling stations.

We are ready to work with the newly composed Parliament on concrete measures to strengthen democracy and rule of law in Serbia. It is also important to implement the recommendations that will be presented by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights mission. These steps can move forward the European agenda to the benefit of all Serbian citizens."

Background

On 3 April 2022, Serbia held presidential, early parliamentary and Belgrade city elections, which took place amid strong polarisation between the ruling parties and the opposition. The elections were held in an environment overshadowed by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and against the background of citizens' protests related to environmental issues and the adoption of the Law on Expropriation and the Law on the Referendum and the People's Initiative. The Inter-Party Dialogue process between the government and the opposition, mediated by members of the European Parliament, resulted in the adoption of a number of measures to improve the electoral process. The previous parliamentary elections in Serbia took place in June 2020 when many of the opposition parties boycotted the elections.

According to the preliminary results of the 3 April elections, the coalition around the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) won 42.97 percent of the vote, followed by the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) with 11.5 percent, and United for Serbia's Victory with 13.57 percent of the votes.

In the presidential elections, SNS candidate and the incumbent president Aleksandar Vučić won 58.59 percent of the vote and the main opposition United for Serbia's Victory candidate Zdravko Ponoš won 18.32 percent.

Further information

Committee on Foreign Affairs
Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee
European Parliament resolution on the 2019-2020 Commission reports on Serbia, 25.03.2021

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

General documents - Meeting of 30 September 2021, remote - Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 09:18:41 GMT

The meeting included an exchange of views on the political and economic situation in Serbia and on its relations with the Union with:

Mr Miloš TODOROVIĆ, Deputy Head of Mission of The Republic of Serbia to the EU,
Ms Catherine WENDT, Head of Unit for Serbia in the European Commission,
Ms Elsa FENET, Head of Division 'Western Balkans' in the European External Action Service.

Agenda 30 September 2021
Meeting documents 30 September 2021
Minutes 30 September 2021

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

General documents - Serbia: Leading MEPs regret Serbia’s non-alignment with EU sanctions against Russia - Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee

Wed, 02 Mar 2022 09:27:55 GMT

1 March 2022

Following the adoption of the EP resolution on the Russian aggression against Ukraine, leading MEPs on Serbia issued the following statement on Tuesday.

"The unity of the international community in standing up against Putin's aggression on Ukraine is essential for any attempt to foster peace and to avoid the spread of Kremlin's war. We expect Serbia to align fully with the Common Foreign and Security Policy of European Union, including the sanctions adopted against the regime in Russia. We see this as an important and urgent signal that Serbia supports the principles and values of the European Union and is committed to working together with the European partners towards peace. The international situation has changed dramatically since last week and there is no room for appeasement of the aggressor."

Vladimír Bilčík (EPP, SK), Standing Rapporteur for Serbia

Tanja Fajon (S&D, SL), Chair of the Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee

Background

The Serbian government on Sunday adopted a February 25 conclusion by the National Security Council on the crisis in Ukraine. The 15-point conclusion said that, for Serbia, Russia and Ukraine had always been friendly countries and that Serbia provided full and principled support for respect of the principle of Ukraine's territorial integrity. The conclusion also said that Serbia would be governed exclusively by the protection of its own vital economic and political interests when it comes to the issue of sanctions. While Serbia's supports Ukraine's territorial integrity, it has refused to align with EU sanctions against Russia and neither has it unequivocally condemned Russia's military aggression.

Further information

Committee on Foreign Affairs
Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

General documents - Serbia: leading MEPs welcome constitutional changes approved in referendum - Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee

Mon, 17 Jan 2022 18:33:39 GMT

17 January 2022

After citizens voted in the constitutional referendum in Serbia, leading MEPs issued the following statement on Monday.

"We welcome the decision taken by Serbian citizens to support the change in the Constitution to make the justice system more independent. This is an important step on Serbia's EU path to integration.

We are concerned about the reports that electoral boards were not adequately prepared to conduct the voting process. We call on the responsible authorities to ensure improvements are made in this area in the run-up to the upcoming elections. We will continue to monitor the implementation of the constitutional changes as approved by the referendum as well as other reforms to the rule of law.

We regret that no agreement was reached with Kosovo to allow for the ballots of eligible voters living there to be collected, which has been the case previously."

Vladimír Bilčík (EPP, SK), Standing Rapporteur for Serbia

Tanja Fajon (S&D, SL), Chair of the Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee

Background

On 16 January, Serbia held a referendum on constitutional amendments to guarantee that judges and prosecutors are elected without the direct involvement of the National Assembly. Judges and court presidents will be elected exclusively by the High Judicial Council, while prosecutors will be elected by the High Council of Prosecutors. The three-year probationary mandate for judges will also be abolished, as it was one of the major deficiencies in the current Constitution.

According to the Serbian Republic Election Commission (RIK), just over 30 percent of the electorate voted in the referendum, with a majority voting 'yes'. Preliminary data show that 61.84 percent of the voters who turned out voted yes, 37.1 percent voted no and 1.04 percent of the ballots were invalid.

Serbia: leading MEPs welcome constitutional changes approved in referendum

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

General documents - Forced labour in the Linglong factory and environmental protests in Serbia - Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee

Fri, 17 Dec 2021 11:42:48 GMT

The European Parliament adopted a resolution on forced labour in the Linglong factory and environmental protests in Serbia.

Resolution of 16 December 2021 on forced labour in the Linglong factory and environmental protests in Serbia

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

General documents - The European Parliament urges Serbia to fully implement measures to improve conduct of elections - Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee

Thu, 28 Oct 2021 13:27:18 GMT

Statement by Tanja FAJON, Chair of the EP Delegation to the EU‑Serbia Stabilisation and Association

Following the 13th meeting of the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee (SAPC) on Thursday, 28 October, co-Chair Tanja Fajon said:

"As Serbia is heading for elections in six months, we call on the Serbian authorities and all political actors to fully implement the set of 16 measures aiming at improving the electoral environment that was agreed as a result of the second phase of the EP-facilitated Inter-Party Dialogue. Full and timely implementation of all outstanding OSCE/ODIHR recommendations, before the April 2022 elections, is also of the essence. The European Parliament will continue to monitor the implementation of the 16 measures, but the actual improvement of electoral conditions and of the overall political climate in Serbia ultimately lies in the hands of the political actors, decision‑makers and institutions in Serbia. I encourage all political forces to participate in the next elections and thus pave the way for a more pluralistic parliament.

I welcome the European Commission's recent recommendation to open two new clusters in accession talks with Serbia. However, it is important to recall that Serbia did not open any new chapters since December 2019 because of the lack of progress in the area of the rule of law, where further urgent action and reforms are necessary. While recent steps to address some shortcomings are to be welcomed, consistent efforts and tangible progress are paramount, in particular when it comes to the independence of the judiciary, freedom of expression, media freedom and the fight against corruption and organized crime. Particularly regrettable are the increase in abusive language and instances of intimidation and hate speech targeting extra-parliamentary opposition parties, independent intellectuals, NGOs, journalists, prominent individuals and Members of the European Parliament.

The overall progress of Serbia's EU accession process continues to depend on rule of law reforms and on the advancement of normalisation talks with Pristina. The European Parliament will continue to assist Serbia on this trajectory."

Delegations of the European Parliament and the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia met remotely on 28 October, for the 13th meeting of the EU Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee. The meeting was co-chaired by Ms Tanja FAJON (S&D, SL) and her Serbian counterpart Mr Vladimir Orlić (SNS). Parliamentarians held in-depth discussions on a number of key issues, including the implementation of the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Agreement, Serbia's progress in rule of law areas and Serbia's economic development.

European Parliament delegation for relations with Serbia
Profile of Tanja Fajon (S&D, SI)

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

General documents - 12th EU-Serbia SAPC, 28 January 2021, remote - Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee

Thu, 28 Oct 2021 12:31:07 GMT

The European Union-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee held its 12th meeting remote, through Interactio, on 28 January 2021 and discussed the state of play of the accession negotiations and EU-Serbia relations, including all topics of interest in the current situation.

Chair of the EP Delegation to the SAPC, Tanja Fajon, and newly re-appointed Serbian Co‑Chair, Vladimir Orlić, co-chaired the meeting and welcomed:

Serbian Minister for European Integration, Jadranka Joksimović;
Secretary of State for European Affairs, Portuguese Presidency, Ana Paula Zacarias;
Head of Unit for Serbia, European Commission (DG NEAR), Catherine Wendt;
Head of Western Balkans Division, EEAS, Elsa Fenet.

You will find a summary of the meeting in the below pdf.

Agenda 28 January 2021
Minutes 28 January 2021
Meeting documents
Web streaming of the meeting 28 January 2021
Press release, 12th EU-Serbia SAPC, 28 January 2021
Summary of the meeting 28 January 2021

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

General documents - Joint meeting of 11 May 2021 on Gender Equality & Women's Rights, remote - Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee

Thu, 30 Sep 2021 14:15:12 GMT

A Joint Western Balkans and Turkey Delegations' Meeting on Gender Equality & Women's Rights took place remotely via Webex on 11 May 2021.

In this meeting, Members had the possibility to discuss the state of play in gender equality and women's rights with local civil society and academia experts.

The meeting was organised under the patronage of the Chairs of the EP Enlargement delegations and was presided by Mr Tonino Picula, Chair of the AFET Working group on the Western Balkans.

Agenda 11 May 2021
Summary of the meeting: Deteriorating situation for women in Western Balkans and Turkey
Minutes 11 May
Poster Gender Equality and Women's Rights in the Western Balkans and Turkey

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

General documents - Joint meeting of 22 March 2021, remote - Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee

Thu, 30 Sep 2021 14:15:07 GMT

The joint meeting between the delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee and the delegation for relations with Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo included an exchange of views with:

Mr Miroslav LAJČÁK, EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and other Western Balkan regional issues

Agenda 22 March 2021
Summary of the meeting: Belgrade-Pristina dialogue
Meeting documents 22 March 2021

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

General documents - Meeting of 4 November 2020, remote - Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee

Thu, 30 Sep 2021 14:15:03 GMT

The meeting included an exchange of views

1. on the on the post-electoral landscape in Serbia - including the political, economic and pandemic situation - and on Serbia's relations with the European Union with:

H.E. Ms Ana HRUSTANOVIĆ, Ambassador of The Republic of Serbia to the EU,
Mr Christos MAKRIDIS, Deputy Head of Unit for Serbia in the European Commission, and
Ms Elsa FENET, Head of Division 'Western Balkans' in the European External Action Service.

2. on the June 21 parliamentary elections and their outcomes for the future of Serbia's democracy and performance of democratic institutions with:

Ms Nataša DRAGOJLOVIĆ, President of the National Convention on the European Union in Serbia (NCEU), and
Mr Rasa NEDELJKOV, Program Director, Center for Research, Transparency and Accountability (CRTA), Chief of CRTA Election Observation Mission.

You will find a summary of the meeting in the below pdf.

Agenda 4 November 2020
Summary of the meeting: Serbia-EU relations, the way forward
Meeting documents 4 November 2020
Minutes 4 November 2020

General documents - Meeting of 17 October 2019, Brussels - Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee

Thu, 30 Sep 2021 14:14:57 GMT

The meeting included an exchange of views on the political and economic situation in Serbia and on its relations with the Union with:

Mr Miloš TODOROVIĆ, Deputy Head of Mission of The Republic of Serbia to the EU,
Ms Catherine WENDT, Head of Unit for Serbia in the European Commission,
Ms Elsa FENET, Head of Division 'Western Balkans' in the European External Action Service.

The delegation also considered the draft agenda and draft programme for the 11th EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee meeting due to be held in Belgrade on the 30-31 October, and the (possible) appointment of first speakers.

Agenda 17 October 2019
Meeting documents 17 October 2019
Minutes 17 October 2019

General documents - Constitutive meeting of 26 September 2019, Brussels - Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee

Thu, 30 Sep 2021 14:14:49 GMT

During the constitutive meeting, the Chair and the Vice-Chairs of the delegation were elected:

Chair: Tanja FAJON (S&D, SL)

1st Vice-Chair: Franc BOGOVIČ (EPP, SL)

2nd Vice-Chair: Petros KOKKALIS (GUE/NGL, EL)

Meeting documents 26 September 2019
Press release 26 September 2019
Minutes 26 September 2019

General documents - Calendar of activities 2021 - Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee

Thu, 30 Sep 2021 14:06:26 GMT

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the President of the European Parliament and its political leaders have modified Parliament's calendar of activities. The aim is to enable Parliament to exercise its functions and carry out its parliamentary work, while complying with the duty of care for its Members and staff and protecting public health.

While missions of Parliament's delegations are currently suspended, interparliamentary and other meetings of standing delegations and parliamentary assemblies are being organised with the possibility of remote participation by Members, visiting speakers and staff.

The calendar section of this page is updated when possible and provides more details of upcoming meetings.

Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee (SAPC) meetings

13the EU-Serbia SAPC

28 October 2021, Brussels and remote

12th EU-Serbia SAPC

28 January 2021, remote

Ordinary meetings

30 September 2021, 13:00-14:30, remote

Joint meeting together with DSEE - 22 March 2021, 13:30-15:00, remote

General documents - Kosovo and Serbia: leading MEPs call for continued dialogue to reduce tensions - Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee

Tue, 28 Sep 2021 09:16:28 GMT

28 September 2021

In light of the deeply worrying developments in recent days on the Kosovo-Serbia border, leading MEPs issued this statement.

"We are deeply concerned about the recent tensions at the Jarinje and Brnjak border crossings. Serbia and Kosovo must urgently find a peaceful and sustainable solution in order to ensure the security and safety of all citizens.

We wish to see the withdrawal of special police and any army units and the dismantling of roadblocks. Unilateral actions and provocations and inflammatory rhetoric, which increase tensions and affect the wellbeing of local communities, should stop. We call on the EU and its partners to continue to work on de-escalating the crisis and we urge the leaders of Serbia and Kosovo to use the platform of the EU-facilitated Dialogue to resolve all open issues, including those related to freedom of movement.

We reiterate that the normalisation of relations between Serbia and Kosovo is a precondition for the EU accession of both countries, and is also essential for securing stability and prosperity in the wider region. We urge both sides to actively and constructively re-engage in the EU-facilitated dialogue led by the EU Special Representative, seeking a comprehensive, sustainable and legally binding agreement."

Vladimír BILČÍK (EPP, SK), Standing Rapporteur for Serbia

Viola VON CRAMON-TAUBADEL (Greens/EFA, DE), Standing Rapporteur for Kosovo

Tanja FAJON (S&D, SL), Chair of the Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee

Romeo FRANZ (Greens/EFA, DE), Chair of the Delegation for relations with Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo

Kosovo and Serbia: leading MEPs call for continued dialogue to reduce tensions

General documents - Inter-Party Dialogue continues ahead of the upcoming elections in Serbia - Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 14:53:08 GMT

10 July 2021

Joint Press Statement by the facilitators the European Parliament and the speaker of the National Assembly of Serbia.

The first round of the second phase of the European Parliament facilitated Inter-Party Dialogue was held on 9 and 10 July in Belgrade. It called for achieving tangible results to improve the level-playing field ahead of the next elections.

EP facilitators of this dialogue were former MEP Knut Fleckenstein with Vladimír Bilčík (EPP, SK), Foreign Affairs Committee Rapporteur for Serbia and Tanja Fajon (S&D, SL), Chair of the Delegation for Relations with Serbia. The National Assembly of Serbia was represented by its Speaker Ivica Dačić.

The Dialogue brought together leaders and representatives of parliamentary groups as well as opposition parties and platforms around the same table for the first time.

"We welcome the presence of a very broad spectrum of political forces and their commitment to the dialogue. We are aware that challenges related to the electoral process still persist and we will work together to address them. We confirm our commitment to support the integrity of the electoral process.

We want to stress the importance of equitable access to media, media pluralism as well as media ethics and standards, particularly in the context of pre-electoral and electoral campaigns.

We now need to seize the momentum created by this dialogue. Today more than ever it is necessary to achieve tangible progresses that can be implemented effectively ahead of the next electoral campaign.

We are ready to support the efforts from the participants in the Inter-Party Dialogue to reach agreement on the electoral conditions"

European Parliament remains committed to support Serbia and the National Assembly of Serbia in the reform processes related to the European integration of the country.

The co-facilitators presented the Conclusions of this round of the Inter-Party Dialogue and agreed to meet in the same format on 17 and 18 September 2021 in Belgrade.

For more information on the Inter-Party Dialogue please check the below link.

Inter-Party Dialogue continues ahead of the upcoming elections in Serbia

General documents - Second phase of the Inter-Party Dialogue with the National Assembly of Serbia - Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 14:53:01 GMT

02 March 2021

Joint Statement of AFET Chair and DEG Co-chair David MCALLISTER (EPP, DE), Tanja FAJON (S&D, SI) and Vladimír BILČÍK (EPP, SK), following the formal launch the EP facilitated Inter-Party Dialogue process with the National Assembly of Serbia on 1 March 2021

Today, the European Parliament has formally launched the second phase of the Inter-Party Dialogue process with the National Assembly of Serbia, following the first phase that took place in late 2019.

We held a constructive meeting with the Speaker Ivica Dačić, co-facilitator of the process, where we agreed on the subsequent steps that will support consensus and trust building across the political spectrum in Serbia.

We firmly believe that the European Parliament facilitated Inter-Party Dialogue process is in Serbia's best interest and that it is an important element in the country's efforts to further strengthen democracy and enhance citizens' confidence in the institutions and in the electoral process.

In this process, the role of the European Parliament is not to bring ready-made solutions but rather to facilitate a dialogue where political parties could come to an agreement over pertinent issues and topics of their mutual concern and interest.

The four members of the European Parliament's Facilitation Team are Members of the European Parliament Vladimir BILČÍK, the Committee on Foreign Affairs Standing Rapporteur for Serbia, Tanja FAJON, the Chair of the Delegation for relations with Serbia and two former Members of the European Parliament, Eduard KUKAN and Knut Fleckenstein.

During this second phase of the process, the Facilitation Team will be conducting a series of consultations with all relevant stakeholders in Serbia on the agenda of the upcoming round of Inter-Party Dialogue. The team will propose possible participants and topics of common interest identified during these consultations to the National Assembly.

For more information on the Inter-Party Dialogue please check the below link.

MEP Launch of the second phase of the Inter-Party Dialogue with the National Assembly of Serbia