On the 2025 Commission report on Serbia
AFET-PR-784230
Committee on Foreign Affairs · Rapporteur: Tonino Picula
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This draft report responds to the 2025 Commission report on Serbia. It stresses that EU accession is merit-based and conditional on reforms, and expresses concern over democratic backsliding, judicial changes, and media freedom.¶¶¶ It calls for free elections, implementation of ODIHR recommendations, and investigations into police violence. It also urges normalisation with Kosovo and action on war crimes and missing persons.¶¶¶ It questions the release of EU funds to Serbia and highlights concerns about energy, environment, and the political crisis.¶¶¶
Committee position. The rapporteur proposes a resolution that criticises Serbia's backsliding on EU reforms, calls for concrete actions on democracy, rule of law, and normalisation with Kosovo, and questions the release of EU funds.¶¶¶
Key points
- Emphasises that EU accession progress depends on full respect for EU values and thorough implementation of reforms, not just adoption.¶
- Notes that Serbia's commitment to EU membership is not always reflected in practice, citing absence from the December 2025 EU-Western Balkans Summit.¶
- Calls on Serbia to align with EU foreign policy, including sanctions related to Russia's war against Ukraine.¶
- Regrets limited progress in negotiations and insists on measurable progress in rule of law, corruption, judiciary, media freedom, and public administration.¶
- Rejects allegations of EU involvement in student protests and condemns arrests of EU citizens supporting students.¶
- Calls for free and fair elections and full implementation of ODIHR recommendations.¶
- Urges Serbia to halt implementation of judicial law amendments adopted on 28 January 2026 that weaken judicial independence.¶
- Denounces repressive measures against protesters and calls for targeted sanctions against those responsible for serious violations.¶
- Urges Serbia to bring to justice perpetrators of the 2023 Banjska attack and to implement the Brussels and Ohrid Agreements.¶¶
- Calls for more active approach to war crime denial and missing persons cases.¶¶
- Questions the Commission's approval of first funds to Serbia under the Reform and Growth Facility, asking for explanation of preconditions.¶
- Highlights concerns about NIS ownership in context of US sanctions and stresses protection of environmental standards in mining projects.¶¶
Who is affected
- Serbian authorities: must implement reforms, halt judicial changes, ensure free elections, and cooperate on normalisation with Kosovo.¶¶¶
- Protesters, students, activists, journalists: face repression; report calls for investigations and sanctions against perpetrators.¶¶
- Civil society and media: suffer pressure; report urges reversal of backsliding on freedom of expression.¶
- Kosovo and Serbia: must implement agreements and avoid unilateral actions.¶
- EU institutions: Commission must explain fund release; Parliament calls for targeted sanctions.¶¶