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BRUSSELS – Among the many member nations, there was as soon as once more no consensus on Wednesday to open negotiations with Serbia in cluster 3, which incorporates eight chapters, in accordance with diplomatic sources.
The Hungarian presidency as soon as once more positioned the difficulty of opening cluster 3 – competitiveness and inclusive progress on the agenda of the assembly of member state ambassadors on Wednesday. This cluster contains eight chapters: digital transformation and media; taxation; financial and financial coverage; social coverage and employment, entrepreneurship and industrial coverage; science and analysis; schooling and tradition; customs union. Out of those eight chapters, Serbia has already opened 5 earlier than the change within the negotiation methodology. The brand new methodology was adopted initially of 2020 and supplies that as a substitute of particular person chapters, a number of related in six clusters, six thematic items, are opened.
“There is no such thing as a progress, we’re the place we have been final week,” a diplomatic supply advised Hina.
Final week, eight nations, together with Croatia, had objections to the proposal of the Hungarian presidency to open that cluster. The principle causes for this are Serbia’s refusal to impose sanctions towards Russia and align itself with the EU’s international coverage, rule of regulation, and the state of affairs within the media.
Earlier than final week’s assembly, Serbia shared an unofficial doc with the member states, itemizing steps it intends to take to achieve approval for opening that cluster. A number of nations mentioned that progress couldn’t be made based mostly on the guarantees outlined in that doc. (December 4, 2024)
The Hungarian presidency, which is strongly pushing for Serbia, broadcasts that it’ll once more try to achieve approval to open that cluster subsequent week.
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