Mr Boris TADIC, President of the Serbia, Mr Javier SOLANA, Secretary General/High Representative for CFSP and Mr. Dimitrij RUPEL, Slovenian Minister of Foreign Affairs and President of the Council

TEXT:On 29 April, the Council (General Affairs and External Relations) in Luxembourg reached consensus on the signing of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) and the Interim Agreement with Serbia. The signing ceremony took place in the margins of the Council in the presence of Serbian President Tadic and deputy Prime Minister Djelic.

The Interim Agreement will take effect, and the SAA will be presented to parliaments for ratification, once the Council decides that Serbia has begun to cooperate fully with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia.

The signing of the SAA is the first step in the process towards membership of the EU, preparing the way for eventual acceptance as a candidate country. Its objective is to support Serbia in its efforts to strengthen democracy and the rule of law and enhance cooperation and political relations between the EU and Serbia.

The agreement offers Serbia the prospect of closer trade relations with the EU, including the gradual development of a free trade area. It will contribute to the political, economic and institutional stability in the country.

Regarding Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Council welcomed the recent adoption of the two police laws which constitute one of the necessary conditions for further progress towards the conclusion of a SAA. The SAA with Bosnia and Herzegovina is an important element in ensuring stability and strengthening dialogue within the country. While Bosnia and Herzegovina will need to undertake further efforts to address reforms, the Council expressed its readiness to sign the SAA. Technical preparations are underway.

The objective of the police reform is to restructure the police forces of the two entities (Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina on one hand and Republika Srpska on the other) and integrate them under a single State police structure. The problems include political interference in operational matters and appointment of police officials at managerial level.

The Council also welcomed the Commission's communication: "Western Balkans: enhancing the European perspective", which proposes a new set of initiatives demonstrating more concretely the significance of EU membership to the citizens of the Western Balkans, in particular through dialogue on visa liberalisation, a further increase in the number of scholarships granted to students from the region to study in the EU and enhanced support to civil society.

The Council discussed a negotiating mandate for a new EU-Russia framework agreement. This new instrument is intended to replace the former 10-year Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), which no longer fully meets the current needs of the two parties. Work will continue with a view to reaching agreement on a mandate by the June EU-Russia summit.

More information:

Council Press release (pdf)
Council webcast of signature ceremony

Council webcast of press conference

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