Diminishing Transformative and Normative Role: How the EU Seems to be Losing its Influence in Serbia
Diminishing Transformative and Normative Role: How the EU Seems to be Losing its Influence in Serbia

Summary/Abstract: The European Union is facing with a number of challenges – rise of populism, lack of leadership, the migrant crisis, Brexit – that shows that the European integration project need to be redesign. The European Union need to consolidate, return to its core values and try overcome the series of crises it’s facing. Internal Instability of the Union is reflected on the European Union - Western Balkans processes, that is in a serious slowdown. One of the important attempts of the European Union to integrate countries of the Western Balkans is known as a Berlin Process. Initial enthusiasm that was a driving force for all countries in the Western Balkans region stooped when it became clear that due to the European Union internal unresolved issues, the enlargement of the European Union wouldn’t be priority and would be indefinitely delayed. Governments of the Western Balkans countries formally promised to accelerate reforms, resolve bilateral disputes and many of them hoped that would have the opportunity to join the European Union in 2025. For a long time, the European Union – Serbia relation was based on the policy of conditionality, and Serbian authorities were pressured to fulfill their promises – normalize relations with neighbors, promote dealing with the past and, most importantly, deliver indicted for war crimes and genocide - in order to make a move forward. Serbia gained candidate status in 2012, opened negotiations and entered the EU accession process effectively. The enlargement fatigue and fear of the new wave of conditionality policy brings new alternatives on the table for Serbia, but joining the European Union still remain first priority of the Serbian Foreign Policy.

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