Key facts
- The European Commission is seeking approval from EU ambassadors to open a new cluster in Serbia's EU accession negotiations.
- Several member states, including the Netherlands, are hesitant or prepared to veto the move due to concerns about Serbia's reform progress.
- The debate centers on using EU enlargement as a geopolitical tool versus ensuring candidates meet democratic and judicial standards.
- Serbia argues that it has made sufficient reforms to merit advancing in the accession process.
- Conflicting internal Commission reports highlight both recent reforms and ongoing human rights and corruption concerns in Serbia.
The European Commission's effort to advance Serbia's EU membership bid by opening a new cluster of negotiations is facing significant opposition from member states, highlighting a division on how to manage the bloc's enlargement.
EU ambassadors are set to discuss approving the opening of Cluster 3, which covers cross-border services and business regulations. However, several countries, notably the Netherlands, are skeptical, fearing that candidates might be rewarded before sufficient progress on democratic and judicial reforms is achieved. This approach contrasts with the Commission's view that enlargement can serve as a geopolitical tool to foster closer ties and steer countries away from rival powers.
Serbia's minister for EU integration, Nemanja Starović, argued that opening Cluster 3 is long overdue and that recent reforms merit this step, warning that delays would benefit anti-European forces. Despite legislative changes aimed at aligning with EU rules and strengthening the management of EU funds, concerns persist regarding Serbia's human rights record and the fight against corruption, including stalled investigations into large-scale corruption cases.
Conflicting internal assessments from the Commission have surfaced, with one briefing paper suggesting Serbia has remedied past backsliding, while a separate confidential report detailed intensified pressure on civil society and journalists, and a lack of progress in corruption cases. If the cluster is not opened, the Commission may seek alternative ways to acknowledge Serbia's legal changes, potentially after upcoming nationwide elections.
Serbia's foreign minister, Marko Đurić, stated that the country remains committed to reforms and views enlargement as mutually beneficial and an act of strategic foresight.