BRUSSELS – The European Commission has recommended that EU Member States approve the opening of Cluster 3 in Serbia’s accession negotiations this month, arguing that although none of the key political priorities has been fully completed, Belgrade has made sufficient progress for the process to move forward. A Commission information note
EWB
BRUSSELS – The European Commission has recommended that EU Member States approve the opening of Cluster 3 in Serbia’s accession negotiations this month, arguing that although none of the key political priorities has been fully completed, Belgrade has made sufficient progress for the process to move forward.
A Commission information note and a separate paper circulated by the Serbian government to EU capitals on 3 July, both seen by European Western Balkans, reveal how Brussels and Belgrade are making the case ahead of Wednesday’s COREPER meeting, where EU ambassadors are expected to discuss Serbia’s long-stalled accession process.
While the Commission evaluates Serbia against four political priorities that have dominated discussions among Member States in recent years – judicial reform, media freedom, the electoral framework and Serbia’s alignment with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) – the Serbian government largely focuses on reforms it considers completed.
The Commission’s document, titled “Information note on recent developments in Serbia relevant to Cluster 3”, concludes that Member States should approve the opening of the cluster this month.
“The Commission is of the view that Cluster 3 should be opened in July 2026 considering Serbia’s efforts on key matters and that the overall balance necessary for this step is currently ensured”, states European Commission spokesperson for EWB.
“Our assessment concludes that Serbia has recently implemented important elements of the commitments undertaken at the end of 2024, namely as regards the judicial reforms, the media regulatory body (REM Council) and the electoral legal framework.”
The Commission declined to comment on discussions among Member States ahead of Wednesday’s COREPER meeting.
Commission: Progress acknowledged despite remaining shortcomings
In the letter seen by EWB, European Commission recalls that Serbia has technically fulfilled the conditions for opening Cluster 3 for more than four years. However, under the revised enlargement methodology, it says progress in accession negotiations must also reflect developments in the rule of law and foreign policy.
Its assessment concludes that Serbia has recently implemented important elements of the commitments made to Member States and that the overall balance required to move forward has now been achieved.
However, the document does not suggest that any of the four political priorities has been fully completed.
On judicial reform, the Commission concludes that Serbia addressed the backtracking identified earlier this year by implementing the Venice Commission’s urgent recommendations and adopting amendments to five judicial laws. At the same time, it notes that further reforms are still needed, particularly regarding the Judicial Academy.
Regarding media freedom, Brussels welcomes the breakthrough in resolving the deadlock over the appointment of the new REM Council, despite the fact that the process has not yet been completed.
On electoral reform, the Commission highlights the adoption of amendments to several election laws and renewed cooperation with ODIHR, while noting that legislation on political finance and corruption prevention is still being prepared.
The assessment is similarly cautious on foreign policy. It notes that Serbia’s alignment with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy has increased to 63%, up from 46% in 2022, but stresses that Belgrade still has not aligned with any EU restrictive measures against Russia, nor with sanctions targeting Belarus and China.
At the same time, the Commission points to intensified cooperation with Ukraine, including political contacts, support in preventing sanctions circumvention, assistance to Kyiv and negotiations on a future free trade agreement.
Despite these remaining shortcomings, the Commission concludes that Serbia’s overall progress is sufficient for Member States to approve the opening of Cluster 3 this month.
Government highlights reforms while ignoring remaining concerns
The Serbian government’s paper presents many of the same recent developments but from a different perspective.
It highlights the adoption of judicial and electoral legislation, progress in resolving the REM Council appointment process and the establishment of a new Operational Team for Serbia’s EU Accession tasked with accelerating reforms and implementing recommendations from the European Commission’s annual reports.
Unlike the Commission’s assessment, however, the government paper largely ignores the issues that have been at the centre of concerns raised by several Member States in recent years.
Besides omitting any separate assessment of Serbia’s alignment with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy, it also does not address the remaining shortcomings identified by the Commission in the areas of judicial reform, media freedom and the electoral framework.
Instead, the government places particular emphasis on Serbia’s cooperation with Ukraine, highlighting humanitarian and political support, high-level bilateral contacts, the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on European integration and negotiations on a future free trade agreement.
Despite the latest efforts by the European Commission and the Serbian authorities, reports by European and regional media suggest that the Netherlands remains among the EU Member States unwilling to change its position on opening Cluster 3. Serbia last opened a negotiating cluster in December 2021, when Cluster 4 was launched. Although the European Commission has consistently maintained that Cluster 3 is technically ready to be opened, Member States have so far failed to reach the political consensus required to move the accession process forward.
