Eurocommissaris Patten lanceert nieuw rapport voor stabiliteit in de betrekkingen tussen EU en Servië-Montenegro (en)

The Commissioner for External Relations, Chris Patten, will announce today that the European Commission will re-launch the Feasibility Report on a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with Serbia and Montenegro. The Feasibility Report will assess the country's capacity to negotiate and implement the far-reaching political and economic obligations under a Stabilisation and Association Agreement. This decision follows the full endorsement of the EU's "twin-track" approach by political leaders of Serbia and Montenegro. Commissioner Patten will make his decision known in Luxembourg at today's meeting of the External Relations Council, which brings together the EU's Foreign Affairs Ministers, where he will indicate that the Report could be ready by spring 2005.

Commissioner Patten will say: "I am glad that we are finally in a position to move on with Serbia and Montenegro, after long delays due to internal disputes in that country. We have offered a "twin track" approach for parts of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, because we do not want to see Serbia and Montenegro fall behind its neighbours. We will need to see a constructive attitude and strong commitment to reforms from all political leaders as well as rapid action on all outstanding issues, in particular full co-operation with ICTY, which remains a fundamental prerequisite for deeper relations with the EU".

The "twin track" approach to SAA negotiations means dealing with the two republics on policies which they conduct separately, notably trade, economic and sectoral policies, while continuing to work with the State Union where it is the competent authority, for example on international political obligations and human rights.

The Commission's Feasibility Report will be a detailed analysis of Serbia and Montenegro's compliance with the EU's political and economic criteria, the state of play on its sectoral reforms and of its administrative capacity to negotiate and fully implement a Stabilisation and Association Agreement. On the basis of a positive Feasibility Report, the Commission could recommend the opening of SAA negotiations to EU Member States.

A previous attempt to conduct a Feasibility Report on Serbia and Montenegro was stalled earlier this year due to lack of agreement inside the country on how to make the future Agreement work. Today's decision follows acceptance of the EU's "twin track" model by the political leaders of Serbia and Montenegro during a visit of Commissioner Patten and High Representative Solana on 5 October.

For further information see:

The EU's relations with the state of Serbia and Montenegro:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/see/fry/index.htm