The European Commission’s latest report on Serbia’s progress toward European Union membership highlights the need for stronger political commitment, comprehensive reforms and greater involvement across society, while warning that the overall pace of accession negotiations continues to depend on progress in the rule of law and the normalization of relations with Kosovo.
The report, covering the period from September 1, 2025, to September 1, 2026, is part of the European Commission’s annual enlargement package, which assesses 10 candidate and potential candidate countries. Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos is scheduled to present the package in Brussels on Wednesday.
According to the document, Serbia has opened 22 of the 35 chapters in its EU accession negotiations, which began in January 2014. This includes all chapters under Cluster 1, covering fundamentals, and Cluster 4, covering the green agenda and sustainable connectivity. Two chapters have been provisionally closed.
EU membership remains a strategic goal of the Serbian government. During the reporting period, the government established a new operational team led by its chief negotiator to accelerate progress in meeting the technical requirements for accession.
“Achieving Serbia’s objectives in the EU accession negotiations requires strong political will, the implementation of necessary reforms, a whole-of-society approach, effective policy planning and coordination, and sufficient human and financial resources across all institutions involved in the accession process,” the report states.
Anti-EU rhetoric and the legacy of Ratko Mladić
The report also identifies the continued presence of anti-European narratives in Serbian media and among political officeholders.
It specifically refers to the September 2026 funeral of former Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladić, noting that the attendance of senior Serbian state and military officials contributed to his glorification in a manner incompatible with the values underpinning Serbia’s path toward EU membership.
Mladić was convicted of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and sentenced to life imprisonment.
The document also takes note of Serbia’s early parliamentary elections on October 25. According to preliminary results cited in the report, the Student List, which emerged from a broad student and citizen movement, secured an absolute majority of parliamentary seats.
Belgrade-Prishtina dialogue remains stalled
The European Commission also assesses the EU-mediated dialogue between Belgrade and Prishtina, concluding that domestic political priorities on both sides have prevented decisive steps toward implementing the 2023 Agreement on the Path to Normalization and its implementation annex.
The lack of progress in implementing the agreement has, in turn, slowed the normalization of relations between the two sides.
The report places the dialogue alongside the rule of law as a central factor determining the pace of Serbia’s EU accession process.
European Parliament to discuss regional reform funding
Separately, the European Parliament is scheduled to hold several discussions on EU financial instruments supporting reforms and growth.
The agenda includes the fifth dialogue on the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans, the third dialogue on the equivalent facility for Moldova, and the sixth dialogue on the Ukraine Facility.
Gert Jan Koopman, Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood, is expected to brief MEPs on the implementation of the relevant reform agendas and the disbursement of EU funds.
All meetings are scheduled to take place in Brussels.
