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On 12 October, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Ažubalis welcomed the positive opinion of the European Commission with regard to preparedness of Croatia to assume obligations of EU membership and to become the 28th member state as of 1 July 2013, when Lithuania will take over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

On 12 October, the European Commission published its annual overview of the EU enlargement policy and progress reports for Iceland, Croatia, Turkey and the Western Balkan countries - Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo and Macedonia. Together with the enlargement package, opinions were given on Serbia’s application for EU membership and on Croatia’s membership.

“Due to the continuing financial and economic problems, we are hearing doubts regarding the relevance and necessity for further EU enlargement policy. Today the annual progress report for EU candidate countries and potential candidate countries and recommendations confirm that the development policy continues to be one of the most effective instruments that help establishing security and stability in Europe,” the Lithuanian Foreign Minister commented the importance of the continuity of the EU’s enlargement policy.

He pointed out that for the countries aspiring to the EU membership it was important to continue implementing political and economic reforms, especially in the areas of the consolidation of the rule of law, fight against corruption, protecting human rights and improving on business environment, and to create friendly and stable relations with neighbours.

This year, the European Commission recommended that the Council of the European Union should open accession negotiations with Montenegro, which has enjoyed the status of an EU candidate country since 2010, to grant the status of an EU candidate country to Serbia, if the dialogue with Kosovo is resumed and if all the agreements that had been reached so far would be implemented, and recommended for a third consecutive year to open accession talks with Macedonia, which has enjoyed the EU candidate status since 2005, and welcomed the acceleration of negotiations with Iceland.

The European Commission publishes its enlargement package every year. The package sets out the main provisions for the EU enlargement policy and guidelines for the coming year.

For more information on the documents of the European Commission please visit here: http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/press_corner/key-documents/reports_oct_2011_en.htm