In the Opinion on the Communication from the Commission “A Credible Enlargement Perspective for and Enhanced EU Engagement with the Western Balkans,” the Committee made it clear that membership of the EU was not possible without sharing the Union’s principles, values and goals as well as without full alignment of actions with the common foreign and security policy. For this reason, the Committee called on Serbia to immediately achieve full alignment of its foreign policy with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (Serbia’s alignment with EU positions and Council Decisions for 2017 stood at as few as 48 %, down from 63 % in 2016 and 64 % in 2015).
The Committee also agreed with the European Commission’s view that a firm, merit-based prospect of EU membership for the Western Balkans was in the Union’s very own political, security and economic interest. It is a geostrategic investment in a stable, strong and united Europe based on common values. Therefore, the EU has to maintain its open door policy.
Concurrently, the Committee believes that the EU should also play an active role in its Eastern Neighbourhood in respect to the countries that associate their future with Euro-Atlantic integration. The Committee stresses the need to maintain engagement of the EU, its Member States and Eastern partners in the Eastern Partnership policy and calls for the continuation of the discussions on the EU membership perspective for the aspiring Eastern Partnership countries.
The opinion will be forwarded to the European Commission, the European External Action Service, the Council of the European Union, the European Parliament, and national parliaments and governments of the Member States.
