Cooperation until the year 2000

Cooperation after the year 2000

Stabilisation and Association Process officially started in our country in 2001 with the establishment of the Joint Consultative Task Force (JCTF), as a mechanism that was supposed to enable the European Commission and Serbia-Montenegro to examine the situation in a number of social and economic areas, as well as to promote a more efficient approach to the EU standards.

At their meetings (there were five of them in 2001 and 2002) JCTF adopted joint recommendations, which were binding guidelines for further approximation with the EU standards. They analysed political and economic reforms, regional cooperation and respect of international obligations and they discussed sector policies, too.

After the fourth meeting of JCTF, the organisation and coordination of all Serbia’s activities were taken over first by the European Integration Department of the Ministry of International Economic Relations, and then, on 4 March 2004, by the European Integration Office of the Government of the Republic of Serbia. The European Integration Office of the state union Serbia-Montenegro continued to coordinate reports of Serbian and Montenegrin governments, as well as to report on the responsibilities in the domain of the Council of Ministers, above all the defence and regional cooperation issues.

The fifth meeting was followed by a long break in the formal dialogue with the EU regarding the preparations for the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA). This was because of the constitutional transformation of FRY into the state union of Serbia-Montenegro.

In the period July 02-July 03 there were three informal meetings of the representatives of the EU Commission, the EU Member-States and the state union of Serbia-Montenegro,where it was concluded that a new form of cooperation should be introduced – the Enhanced Permanent Dialogue (EPD). In essence, Enhanced Permanent Dialogue was not different from JCTF. It was introduced in order to ensure a positive assessment in the Feasibility Study, as well as to use the time before the SAA negotiations started for expert consultations and help. The first Enhanced Permanent Dialogue of Serbia-Montenegro and the EU was held in July 2003. By January 2005, there were six meetings.

At these meetings, the European Commission and Serbia-Montenegro estimated the state of reforms and defined the recommendations for further activities in the Stabilisation and Association Process. The European Union reiterated the importance of the Constitutional Charter when it came to furthering international relations, efficient functioning of institutions and the rule of law. Special recommendations were formulated in the area of justice and home affairs, intellectual and industrial property, competition rights and other sector policies.

Since the establishment of the state union Serbia-Montenegro, Serbian and Montenegrin interests in the EU association process have been harmonised in the joint consultative task force of the two republics.

The European Commission publishes annual progress reports on the Stabilisation and Association Process. The reports consist of a general section with the assessment of the progress made in the SAP in the whole region of the Western Balkans and special sections that describe the developments in some countries, including Serbia-Montenegro.

The steps undertaken by Serbia during the negotiation with the European Union included the establishment of the Negotiation Team of the Republic of Serbia in January 2005. The document of exceptional importance for further course of negotiations, Feasibility Study on Serbia's readiness to negotiate the Stabilisation and Association Agreement was granted in April 2005. Furthermore, in September 2005, the negotiation platform for conclusion of Stabilisation and Association Agreement was adopted, and on 10 October 2005, the negotiations on the Agreement were opened. The first round of technical negotiations on this document was held in November 2005. Unfortunately, the negotiations were suspended on 3 May 2006and resumed a year later – on 13 June 2007. The final round of technical negotiations was concluded on 10 September2007, and on 7November 2007 the Stabilisation and Association Agreement was initialed. On 9 September 2008, National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia ratified the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) and the Interim Agreement. The SAA and Interim Agreement were signed on 29April 2008in Brussels. Starting from 1February2009, Serbia has been unilaterally implementing the interim trade agreement, whereas the ratification of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement by EU member states is due in the course of this year.