The opening of the third group of chapters for Serbia’s membership in the European Union will be considered after this country makes significant progress in the field of the rule of law – chapters 23 and 24 – as well as in the process of normalizing relations with Kosovo.

This was stated in the updated version of the draft conclusions for Serbia, which will be discussed on Friday by the ambassadors of the European Union member states.

In this document, it is repeated that Serbia’s progress in the field of the rule of law and in the normalization of relations with Kosovo “will continue to determine the overall pace of membership negotiations”.

The conclusions on the enlargement must be approved at the level of ambassadors and then formally approved at the meeting of ministers for European Affairs, which will be held on December 17 in Brussels.

Negotiations between Brussels and Belgrade for Serbia’s membership in the bloc are frozen mainly due to the failure of the Serbian side to impose sanctions on Russia.

Serbia has not opened any chapter since December 2021.

Hungary, which presides over the European Union until December 31, has left open the possibility of opening the third group of chapters for Serbia, for which the European Commission considers that the country is technically ready.