At a joint meeting of the Intersectoral Working Group for Regional Cooperation and the Working Group for Chapter 31 of the National Convention on the European Union, members of both working groups discussed current issues of importance for the foreign policy of the Republic of Serbia, the process of European integration, and regional cooperation in the Western Balkans.
In the conclusions of the meeting, the participants expressed full support for the continuation of membership negotiations for all candidate countries from the Western Balkans, as well as for further efforts aimed at strengthening regional cooperation, stability, and good neighborly relations.
On this occasion, the Intersectoral Working Group for Regional Cooperation and the Working Group for Chapter 31 of the National Convention on the European Union, in particular:
- express full support for the accession of Montenegro, as well as all other countries aspiring to membership in the European Union that are making progress on this path through the implementation of necessary reforms;
- call on all countries in the region, as well as European Union member states, not to obstruct or further complicate the accession processes of candidate countries through their actions;
- call on the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia and the Government of the Republic of Serbia to focus dedicatedly and responsibly on fulfilling the conditions necessary for progress in the EU accession process, primarily in the areas of rule of law, media freedom, and improvement of electoral conditions, while clearly confirming Serbia’s European orientation and gradually aligning with the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the European Union;
- call on the Government of the Republic of Serbia to enhance political dialogue and economic cooperation with all partners in the region, to consistently support good bilateral relations, and to actively contribute to halting negative trends that lead to the weakening of regional cooperation. The National Convention on the European Union continues to support the Berlin Process and, in this context, particularly emphasizes the importance of reconciliation as a foundation for long-term stability and development of the region;
- call on the European Union to engage more actively in finding solutions for policies and mechanisms, such as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and the Entry/Exit System (EES), which have a direct impact on the economy, mobility, and living standards of citizens of the countries of the region;
- support discussions on initiatives that could contribute to accelerating the EU accession process for candidate countries, as well as to more active involvement of citizens of the region and EU member states in the debate on the future of the European Union.