EU Council Conclusions on Western Balkans

− Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Council welcomed the considerable progress made by Bosnia and Herzegovina in implementing the sixteen priorities identified in the EU feasibility study and urged the country to maintain its efforts, with the aim, inter alia, of achieving full and unreserved cooperation with the ICTY.

The Council nevertheless appealed to Bosnia and Herzegovina to proceed, without delay, with the last remaining reforms, so that the opening of negotiations for a stabilisation and association agreement may be considered, particularly as regards the police and public broadcasting.

The Council regretted to see, in particular, that the line taken by the authorities in the Republika Srpska had prevented the conclusion of an overall agreement on police restructuring in accordance with the principles established by the EU. It therefore called on the authorities in the Republika Srpska, as a matter of urgency, to take the decisions necessary for the opening of negotiations for a stabilisation and association agreement with Bosnia and Herzegovina at the earliest opportunity.

The Council noted with satisfaction the successful execution of Operation ALTHEA. It considered that a EUFOR presence would be required beyond the end of 2005 and called on the appropriate Council bodies to take any necessary steps to that end.

− Serbia and Montenegro/Kosovo

The Council welcomed the joint report by the SG/HR and the Commission, in close cooperation with the Presidency, on the EU's future role and contribution in Kosovo. It asked the SG/HR and the Commission to continue, in close cooperation with the Presidency, the examination of those issues and to report to the Council in due course.

− Regional cooperation: SEECP

The Council recalled the importance it attached to closer regional cooperation, which constitutes one of the main elements of the stabilisation and association process. In that respect, it welcomed the outcome of the South-East European cooperation process (SEECP) summit, chaired by Romania, held in Bucarest on 11 May 2005. It called on the SEECP to take concrete initiatives to underpin its regional cooperation role, thus helping the countries of the region progressively to take responsibility for the region themselves. To that end, it urged continued cooperation between the SEECP and the Stability Pact, as well as with the Comm

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• EU Council Conclusions on Western Balkans (3/10/2005)
• Council conclusions on the Western Balkans (25/4/2005)
• Speech by Commissioner Rehn on Progress in the Western Balkans (13/4/2005)
• EC adopts first package of financal support programmes for the Western Balkans (11/4/2005)
• GAERC - Council Conclusions on Western Balkans (31/1/2005)