Accession of Macedonia to the European Union
- European Union
- Macedonia
Macedonia since 15 December 2005, the European Union ( EU) candidate status.
The European Commission has recommended in its progress report of October 2009, the opening of accession negotiations with the EU. However, the Council of the European Union still has not made a decision. Greece makes the opening of accession negotiations of a solution to the dispute over the country's name dependent.
Relations between Macedonia and the European Union
The European Union and Macedonia established diplomatic relations on 22 December 1995. The Macedonian government has made an application for EU membership on 22 March 2004. The Council of the European Union has forwarded the application for membership on 15 May 2004 to the European Commission for an opinion.
Your opinion ( Avis ), submitted on 9 November 2005 the European Commission. It recommends the award of candidate status. The European Council adopted this recommendation on 16 December 2005 due to the progress of Macedonia, in particular the implementation of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement ( SAA ) and the Ohrid Framework Agreement.
The European Commission has due to further reform progress in its progress report in October 2009, now also recommended the opening of EU accession negotiations. She has renewed this recommendation in the current progress report of 9 November 2010. A corresponding Council decision is made now. It must be taken by the 27 EU Member States unanimously. Greece makes its approval for the opening of accession negotiations depends on that previously the name dispute between Greece and Macedonia will be resolved amicably. In September 2012, also warned the EU Commissioner for Enlargement Štefan Füle, the Macedonian politicians due to increasing problems and lack of cooperation with Bulgaria. In December of the same year the Bulgarian government of Macedonia withdrew because of lack of cooperation, the project Skopje 2014 and dealing with the Bulgarian minority in Macedonia the support and spoke out against a concrete date for the start of accession talks. A condition for renewed support from Bulgaria is the signing of a friendship treaty and its compliance. Such a contract is rejected by Macedonia.
The European Union mentions the land under the provisional name " Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia". It is in sympathy with the Interim Agreement (Interim Accord ) at which Greece and Macedonia have signed in September 1995 in New York. It provides in Article 11, paragraph 1, that Greece is a membership application or membership of Macedonia in an international organization to a solution in the name dispute does not contradict, if it happens under the name "Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia". Under the provisional name of the Republic of Macedonia was included in the United Nations. The state name after the Macedonian Constitution reads " Republic of Macedonia".
The Macedonian logo for the EU pre-accession consists of the Sun of the Macedonian flag and four stars of the European flag on dark blue background. The motto is: " The sun, too, is a star ."
Reform state
The European Commission monitors the progress of reforms in Macedonia on its path towards the European Union in its enlargement strategy and progress reports, which appear every year in the fall.
The Council of the European Union stressed in its conclusions of 14 December 2010 on Macedonia:
Stabilisation and Association Process
The EU has signed with Macedonia as the first country of the Western Balkans on 9 April 2001 a Stabilisation and Association Agreement ( SAA). An Interim Agreement, which contains mainly trade-related provisions entered into force on 1 June 2001. Since 1 April 2004, the SAA with the EU in international law in force after it was ratified by all the signatory States.
The European Commission has the transition to the " second phase" of the SAA recommended in October 2009, which provides for even closer cooperation. However, the Council has so far not taken a decision to this effect.
EU financial support for the reform process in Macedonia
The EU supports the EU rapprochement Macedonia financially especially under the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA). From 2007 to 2010, the EU provided 288 million euros for Macedonia in total, with 92 in 2010. Macedonia from 2011 to 2013 to get more 305 million euros from IPA funds.
Visa liberalization
On 1 January 2008, entered into force (except Kosovo) visa facilitation and readmission agreements with the EU, with all the countries of the Western Balkans. Subsequently, the European Commission has handed over together with the participating States roadmaps for visa exemption. After Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia had the terms of timetables fully met, the EU granted since December 19, 2009 visa-free regime for these countries. It applies to tourist travel to all Schengen countries for up to 90 days. Requirement is that travelers have a biometric passport and take up gainful employment.