Serbia may start EU membership negotiations in June 2013

Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Suzana Grubjesic said last night in Brussels, after foreign ministers of the EU Council published their conclusions, that Serbia had a reason to be happy because it would begin membership negotiations with the EU in the near future.

- Serbia was today commended and encouraged; commended because the government showed it keeps the promises it makes, and encouraged because our country will be given a date for starting negotiations next spring, during the Irish presidency - Grubjesic said.

- So we have every reason to be satisfied, given that we will start membership negotiations with the EU in the near future - she added.

The foreign ministers of EU countries will determine in the spring 2013 whether Serbia meets all the conditions for the start of negotiations on the EU membership. If the assessment is favorable, they will set the date for the start of negotiations.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule said after the meeting in Brussels that it was realistic to expect that the European Council would decide in March to open EU accession talks with Serbia. He added that Serbia needed to meet conditions that had been set.

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton will submit a report on the progress in Belgrade-Pristina relations to the European Council in the spring of next year.

In case of a positive report, the Council will invite the European Commission to prepare a negotiation framework that is practically the green light for granting the date for negotiations on Serbia's EU accession.