| |
Strategy paper:
The strategy paper presents the Commission’s
overall enlargement policy for the candidate countries Croatia
and Turkey, and the potential candidate countries in the Western
Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro and Kosovo ). For each country,
the strategy paper takes up progress made, the accession and pre-accession
strategy, and support to reforms such as EU assistance and financial
instruments. It also outlines a road-map for realising the Western
Balkan countries' perspective of EU membership, setting out the
stages and the conditions attached to each stage.
Progress reports:
The Commission regularly submits to the Council reports on the progress
made by candidate and potential candidate countries on their road
towards the EU, including implementation and enforcement of EU standards.
These reports serve as the basis for the findings and recommendations
made by the Commission in the strategy paper and are aimed at allowing
the European Council to take decisions on further steps.
Progress reports are presented for: Croatia, Turkey, Albania,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro and Kosovo(1).
Accession Partnerships:
The Accession Partnerships present concrete actions for the necessary
reforms in the candidate countries. They set out short-tem and medium-term
priorities for preparing for EU membership. The countries are expected
to develop an action plan and a time plan according to these priorities.
EU assistance is targeted to the Partnership priorities. The Accession
Partnerships are regularly up-dated in order to adjust priorities
to the countries' specific needs and stage of preparation. Accession
Partnerships are presented for: Croatia and Turkey.
European Partnerships:
The European Partnerships are modelled on the Accession Partnerships.
They guide the reforms in the potential candidate countries by indicating
the concrete priority actions needed to achieve progress for the
short and medium-term. The EU requests the countries to develop
a plan with a timetable and specific measures to address these priorities.
EU assistance is targeted to the Partnership priorities. The European
Partnerships are regularly up-dated in order to adjust priorities
to the countries' specific needs and stage of preparation. European
Partnerships are presented for: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro including
Kosovo(1).
Commission Opinion:
The Commission Opinion on the application from a country for EU
membership analyses the situation of the country in relation to
the EU accession criteria. It also constitutes a forward-looking
analysis of the country’s expected progress. It is based on
information provided by the country, assessments made by Member
States, reports and resolutions of the European Parliament and reports
of international organisations. It serves as a basis for the European
Council to response to the country's application for EU membership.
The Commission’s Opinion is presented for the former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia.
|
|