At the sitting held on 18 February, the European Integrations Committee discussed the Report on the Implementation of the National Programme for Integration of the Republic of Serbia into the European Union (IPU), for the period October – December 2009.

Presenting the report to the Committee members, Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic stressed that the previous period was a period of accelerated European integrations, stressing the abolition of visas for Serbian citizens traveling to European Union countries and the unfreezing of the Transitional Trade Agreement between Serbia and the EU. In said trimester, 88 of the intended 115 regulations were adopted which is 77% of those planned. In the same period, the National Assembly adopted 22 laws, which makes it one of the three most productive parliaments in Europe.

Deputy Prime Minister Djelic said that by the end of last year Serbia had submitted a request to be granted the status of EU membership candidate, and was also making efforts to have the candidacy discussed at one of the upcoming sessions of the EU Council of Ministers. He expressed an expectation that Serbia’s candidacy would be confirmed during Spain’s presidency over the European Union, and Serbia would gain candidate status by the end of this year or beginning of 2011.

Djelic pointed out that the harmonisation of domestic legislation with that of the European Union should be completed by the end of 2012, which involves the adoption of about 420 regulations, which in turn means an increased engagement of both the Government an the National Assembly.

The Director of the European Integration Office Milica Delevic pointed out that in terms of European integrations last year was successful, but also mentioned that the National Assembly should concentrate more on the quality of the debate preceding the adoption of laws, above all, their implementation.

Reiterating that last year the National Assembly had adopted a large number of laws and other documents, the Committee members estimated that it could no longer be considered an impediment in the adoption of laws and Serbia’s progress towards the EU.

The sitting was chaired by Laszlo Varga, Committee Chairman.