No Agreement in the EU on Opening Cluster 3 in Negotiations with Serbia

EU flags (PHOTO: EUROPEAN UNION/Zucchi Enzo)

EU member states have once again failed to reach a consensus on opening Cluster 3 in negotiations with Serbia, but discussions will continue, despite the limited time left for a decision, the Serbian Broadcasting Corporation (RTS) reported on Dec. 13, quoting diplomatic sources in Brussels.

According to the diplomats, there was no discussion on Serbia during the ambassadorial meeting as several countries immediately disagreed with the Hungarian presidency's proposal to initiate  procedure for opening Cluster 3. "Due to this disagreement, the decision on Serbia was removed from the meeting's agenda, but member states will revisit this topic," the sources in Brussels said.

This was the third time in several weeks that the ambassadors of EU member states failed to consent to opening Cluster 3. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said last week that the opposition to this was coming from the three Baltic states, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, as well as Croatia, and Bulgaria.

Cluster 3 encompasses eight chapters, five of which were opened before the cluster system was introduced: Economic and Monetary Policy (Chapter 17), Entrepreneurship and Industrial Policy (20), Science and Research (25), Education and Culture (26), and Customs Union (29). Three chapters are still waiting to be opened: Information Society and Media (10), Tax Policy (16), and Social Policy and Employment (19).