The Council of Ministers of the European Union (EU) decided today to apply the new enlargement methodology to Serbia and Montenegro, and senior officials of the Union emphasized that the rule of law will remain the backbone of membership negotiations, with a "convincing prospect of accession".
This was announced after the meeting of the Union's heads of diplomacy, and Ana Paula Zakarias, the State Secretary for Europe of Portugal, the EU chairman, underlined that the prospective EU membership is the main driving force of transformation in the Western Balkans and is essential for common security and progress.
The Vice President of the European Commission, Maroš Šefčovič, pointed out that the new methodology should certainly help speed up membership negotiations, and in the announcement of the ministerial session, it was stated that the negotiating countries must provide tangible results in the implementation of reforms.
This primarily refers to the rule of law, fundamental rights and the functioning of democratic institutions and the reform of state administration, as well as the economic effectiveness of candidates for membership.
"Prospects for partners from the Western Balkans for full membership in the EU on the basis of merit are in the political, security and economic interest of the European Union," the heads of the Union's diplomacy presented.
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