Four more chapters in EU negotiations to be opened in the first half of 2018?

Serbia has opened 12 of the 35 chapters in the negotiations with the EU. Of the three prepared ones, two were opened in Brussels recently, as the opening of the third one was objected to by certain countries. Serbia’s main negotiator with the EU, Tanja Miscevic, told RTS that at least four chapters could be opened in the first half of 2018 and that the remaining ones were waiting to be greenlit by the European Commission.

– As the head of the negotiation team, I am not too satisfied with the number of the chapters opened, seeing how there are three chapters in Brussels that could have been discussed by the member-states – Miscevic said.

Commenting on the statement of the president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, that Serbia might join the EU by 2025, Miscevic said that the calculations were correct and added that Juncker had provided that as a framework date.

– We need to be careful, as the member-states are not too happy with that year. We are pushing for being given the year, as we need to have the timeframe for what can be done in 2018 and the years to follow. Technically, it is possible. We are completing another chapter, which is to be sent to Brussels very soon. This is the chapter concerning statistics. In the first half of the year, then, we will be able to open at least four chapters, whereas the remaining ones are waiting to be greenlit by the Commission – Miscevic said.

Ministarstvo za evropske integracije Republike Srbije

Ministry of European Integration

negotiations with the EU

EU membership

European integration

Euro integration

Serbia EU negotiations

Tanja Miscevic

EU negotiation team

opening chapters for membership in the EU

Jean Claude Juncker