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Political Priorities of Serbia in 2024: Between Trans-Atlantic, Sino-American, and EU-China Relations

Author(s): Đorđe Dimitrov / Language(s): English

Keywords: Serbia 2024 political priorities; Trans-Atlantic relations; Sino-American relations; EU-China relations; foreign policy challenges; Serbia-EU relations; geopolitical strategy; Serbia-China cooperation;

In the face of looming global challenges, Serbia finds itself navigating a complex and uncertain landscape. The ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza, coupled with heightened tensions in the Western Balkans region, have placed the country in a precarious position. The past year has been particularly turbulent for Serbia, marked by widespread anti-government protests and snap elections in December 2023, which were characterised by allegations of electoral fraud, both on national and local levels. On a foreign policy level, developments such as the United Nations Srebrenica resolution and developments regarding Kosovo’s Council of Europe membership application have further inflamed public discourse and increased political tensions in Serbia. Meanwhile, exactly a decade since the start of the accession talks, Serbia’s journey toward the EU shows no encouraging signs of the necessary change.

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Unpacking the 2023 Enlargement Package: A Wake-up Call for the Western Balkans

Author(s): Marko Todorović,Strahinja Subotić / Language(s): English

Keywords: 2023 Enlargement Package; Western Balkans; EU accession; Serbia; EU enlargement; geopolitical challenges; reform process; EU integration;

In the wake of Russian aggression against Ukraine, the intricate game of geopolitical considerations has prompted the EU to recalibrate its approach to enlargement. This recalibration has not gone unnoticed in the Western Balkans and former Eastern Partnership countries, where anticipation hangs in the air. Expectations are large, yet the undeniable truth lingers: the EU must reform its institutional groundwork for enlargement to materialise. Against this backdrop, Charles Michel, the President of the European Council, has cast a hopeful gaze towards 2030 as a target date when the EU should complete its internal reforms to become enlargement-ready. Simultaneously, candidate and potential candidate countries are urged to amplify their reform efforts. Brussels remains resolute – any progression towards membership will be merit-based, with an unwavering commitment to the rule of law. As the anticipation builds, all eyes turn to the 2023 Enlargement Package so as to see what the Commission has to say about the progress of respective countries, while also accounting for the Commission’s new Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.

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EU enlargement to the Western Balkans in the light of the war in Ukraine

Author(s): Sava Mitrović / Language(s): English

Keywords: EU enlargement; Western Balkans; war in Ukraine; EU integration; geopolitical shift; Serbia; enlargement policy; European Union; regional stability;

The outbreak of the war in Ukraine has dramatically changed the geopolitical map of Europe. With aggression against the sovereign and independent European state, Russia has drawn a line and isolated itself from peaceful and free Europe. Former Soviet republics such as Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia rushed into the embrace of the European Union (EU), unwilling to remain behind Russia’s newly erected iron curtain. In the meantime, Western Balkan (WB) countries are continuing the European integration process, which is most clearly reflected in opening ac- cession talks with Albania and (conditionally) North Macedonia, as well as in granting candidate status to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Simultaneously, changed geopolitical circumstances brought their alignment with the EU Foreign and Security Policy to the top of the agenda. In such a context, tracking where the WB countries stand on their path to the EU gains further importance.

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EU Trio Presidency Rewind: From Germany, over Portugal, to Slovenia

Author(s): Miloš Pavković,Strahinja Subotić / Language(s): English

Keywords: EU Trio Presidency; Germany; Portugal; Slovenia; European Union; presidency rotation; EU governance; EU cooperation;

The complex system of governance of the European Union often blurs the distinction between where decisions are made and who is responsible for them. One of the major institutions that steer the direction of EU policies is the Council of the EU which is run by member states based on a model of rotation. In order to ensure continuity in the Council’s decision-making process, the notion of the Trio Presidency was introduced with the Lisbon Treaty in 2007, which defines it as “pre-established groups of three Member States for a period of 18 months taking into account their diversity and geographical balance within the Union”. The Trio sets long-term goals and prepares a common agenda with the major issues that will be addressed by the Council over an 18-month period. In order to better grasp the recent key developments in the Union, the work of the Council in the last year and a half is the focus of this CEP Presents (July 2020 – December 2021).

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Unpacking the 2021 Enlargement Package

Author(s): Strahinja Subotić,Miloš Pavković / Language(s): English

Keywords: 2021 Enlargement Package; EU enlargement; Western Balkans; accession process; European Union; candidate countries; EU reforms; enlargement policy; European integration;

After the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, there were moderate expectations in 2021 in terms of the Western Balkans’ recovery and progression into the EU. Recognising that the pandemic created new challenges in the region all the while exacerbating the existing ones, European Policy Centre (CEP) organised an online discussion in order to unpack the 2021 Enlargement Package. The event was organised alongside the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR) of the European Commission, and the Think for Europe Network (TEN) which gathers think tank representatives from all Western Balkan countries. In the first part, the acting Director-General, Maciej Popowski, presented the Package and emphasised the key results, while in the second, TEN members presented their views, comments, recommendations, and questions from the standpoint of their country. The aim of these discussions was to present to the public the key findings of the Commission’s annual reports, all the while highlighting to what extent these converge with the regional think tanks’ assessment of the situation on the ground.

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Series:Centar za evropske politike - PRESENTS

Political Priorities of Serbia in 2024: Between Trans-Atlantic, Sino-American, and EU-China Relations

Political Priorities of Serbia in 2024: Between Trans-Atlantic, Sino-American, and EU-China Relations

Unpacking the 2023 Enlargement Package: A Wake-up Call for the Western Balkans

Unpacking the 2023 Enlargement Package: A Wake-up Call for the Western Balkans

EU enlargement to the Western Balkans in the light of the war in Ukraine

EU enlargement to the Western Balkans in the light of the war in Ukraine

EU Trio Presidency Rewind: From Germany, over Portugal, to Slovenia

EU Trio Presidency Rewind: From Germany, over Portugal, to Slovenia

Unpacking the 2021 Enlargement Package

Unpacking the 2021 Enlargement Package