The Commission said in a press release on Thursday that its President, Jose Manuel Barroso, had invited Serbia to resume SAA talks on June 13.
"I welcome the progress Serbia has made since the establishment of the new government in its cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). Achieving full cooperation with the ICTY is not only an international obligation, but also a key condition on Serbia's road towards the EU. I encourage Serbia to continue improving its cooperation with the Tribunal in The Hague, to ensure that all remaining indictees are brought to justice, thus achieving lasting reconciliation in the Western Balkans," Barroso said.
The press release also cited a statement by Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, who said that he had consulted ICTY Chief Prosecutor Carla del Ponte on the findings of her visit to Belgrade this week.
"I am glad that she confirms that Serbia has now demonstrated clear commitment to full cooperation with the ICTY and that, in recent weeks, concrete actions have matched this commitment. Next Wednesday we will hold the next round of talks on this important agreement, which will bring concrete trade and economic benefits for Serbia. Implementation of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement will be Serbia's gateway to candidacy for EU accession," Rehn said.