The Foreign Affairs Council on July 16 will start with a discussion on current affairs, allowing ministers to review pressing issues on the international agenda. This will include the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA) following the JCPOA Joint Commission meeting on 6 July. "The participants in the #JCPOA reconfirmed their commitment to the full and effective implementation of…
Tag: Western Balkans
Austrian Presidency challenges EU
Borders, migration, the MFF, and enlargement were key issues in a debate with Austria’s Chancellor Sebastian Kurz on the EU work programme for the rest of 2018. During its six-month presidency in the Council, the Austrian government intends primarily to promote stronger protection of the EU’s external borders, in order to safeguard open internal borders…
In doubts Rajoy attends Sophia Summit
On contrary to previous information, the prime minister of Spain Mariano Rajoy attends EU Western Balkans Summit in Sofia, however some elaborate diplomatic work is going on to avoid Kosovo representatives. EU members Slovakia, Romania, Greece, and Cyprus along with the Kingdom of Spain did not recognize the independence of Kosovo, however their leaders are…
Sofia Summit: EU ‘waiting room ticket’ for Western Balkans
Aleksandar Mitić, OPINION Eighteen years ago, as AFP correspondent, I attended the first EU-Western Balkans Summit, held in Zagreb in 2000. Enthusiasm and talk of fast entry into the EU dominated after the era of conflict in the 1990s. Almost two decades later, however, we are still talking about “European perspectives”, while EU investment in…
Sofia hosts Western Balkans Summit
The EU – Western Balkans Summit will take at the National Palace of Culture in Sofia, Bulgaria, on 17 May. It will bring together heads of state or government of EU member states with the Western Balkans partners: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Kosovo. 🇪🇺 leaders gather…
EU-NATO: informal meeting in Sofia
“We will have today, I believe, a good discussion with the Defence Ministers in an informal setting, so we will not take any decisions” – the EU top diplomat Federica Mogherini said ahead of the NATO meeting in Sofia. #EU2018BG @FedericaMog in Sofia for the Defence ministers’ informal meeting @KKarakachanov @EU2018BG pic.twitter.com/N5FJpbzbnl — Sabrina Bellosi…
Western Balkans to resolve disputes before joining EU
European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker underlined the importance of offering West Balkans countries the prospect of EU membership, but insisted they must resolve all border disputes before joining the bloc. The declaration shows the evolution of views of the EU institutions, in the past being overly confident about its powers to enhance conflict resolution. Brussels has…
Fleckenstein: EU Western Balkans new strategy will deliver
German MEP Knut Fleckenstein firmly believes the EU new strategy towards the Western Balkans will work and deliver for both the EU27 bloc and the countries of the region, without compromising criteria, but completing the reform package with a faisible pace. Although admitting the existing problems with the rule of law and fundamental rights, corruption…
Fajon: Western Balkans are Europe
Tanja FAJON MEP, the vice-chair of Socialists and Democrats group of the European Parliament, reflects upon future of Western Balkans and the EU new strategy towards the region, pointing out the necessity to keep a right balance between enhancing reform without losing a perspective of membership in view or compromising criteria. A credible enlargement perspective…
Enlargement towards Western Balkans on EU cards
The Commission adopted today a strategy for ‘A credible enlargement perspective for and enhanced EU enlargement with the Western Balkans”, as President Jean-Claude Juncker announced in his 2017 State of the Union address confirming the European future of the region as a geostrategic investment in a stable, strong and united Europe based on common values. We unveil our…
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