At its meeting held today, the Committee on European Integration unanimously adopted the 2015 Performance Report and the 2016 Work Plan. Deputy Chairperson of the Committee and chair of the meeting Ms Marija Maja Ćatović mentioned the work of the Committee during 2015, and pointed out the content of meetings held, which mostly related to drafts of negotiating positions, reports on activities and honouring of obligations from the European integration process, performance reports of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration and information on using IPA funds, as well as hearings in relation to fulfilling the SAPC recommendations. During the previous year, a total of 25 consultative hearings were held, in part falling under the oversight role of the Committee, and 3 draft negotiating positions were considered and unanimously adopted, as well as 7 reports on negotiation chapters.

When it comes to planned activities for 2016, the Work Plan follows the dynamics of Committee’s activities in the previous year, but it has also been harmonised with the Work Plan of the Government for this year. Monitoring the course of negotiations on accession to the European Union and all activities relating to the European integration process remain the primary goals in the work of the Committee. The novelty which was proposed and then accepted was that the Committee, in special semi-annual meetings, would also consider implementation of action plans for chapters 23 and 24, which was also determined in the Work Plan of the Government for the current year.

The members voiced their pleasure over the achieved results, but they also provided suggestions for improvement of work of the Committee, especially in part of promotion of this working body, but also cooperation with the civil sector, mostly in respect of information relating to the use of pre-accession funds.