Economic governance has become one of the “key pillars” of European Union’s enlargement policy, Stefan Füle, European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy said at the 6th Western Balkans Ministerial Conference in Belgrade on economic governance and connectivity that he attended along with the Vice-President of the Commission Jyrki Katainen. EU is ready to support better connectivity in the Balkans with 1 billion euros from IPA funds and 10 billion euros in soft loans, Füle said.

EU High Representative Catherine Ashton met in Brussels with Serbia’s Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic, praising him, Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic and Serbian team for “courage” and “willingness to engage and to take your country forward.”

Situation of Roma in this region is very difficult; they are poor, discriminated against, at risk of racist attacks, and practically excluded from social trends, due to which Roma integration is a priority to European Commission, said Luca Manunta Programme Manager of the EU Delegation to Serbia on the occasion of granting the European Commission’s Roma integration award to a Serbian project.

U Delegation to Serbia, EU Info Centre in Belgrade and EU Info Point in Nis will mark European Anti-Trafficking Day, 18 October, by organising numerous activities aimed at raising public awareness on the issue of human trafficking, possibilities of prevention and helping the victims.

We are disappointed with the disruption yesterday, following an act of provocation, of the Serbia v Albania football match. Serbian authorities demonstrated professionalism in handling the situation.

Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Michael Davenport met in Belgrade with local media journalists from across Serbia and discussed a number of interesting issues.

EU supports the adoption of Gender Equality Index in Serbia as it is one of the most basic instruments in the creation of public policies from the perspective of gender equality during European integrations, said Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Michael Davenport at the conference “Promotion of gender equality within the process of data-based public policy creation in Serbia.”

Opening of Chapters 23 and 24 under negotiations with European Union could happen in spring 2015 “in best case scenario”, Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Michael Davenport told joint session of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs and European Integration Committees.