National leaders are expected to postpone a decision to grant Serbia the status of a candidate for membership in the European Union because of continued German concerns about the country’s actions toward Kosovo. Member states’ ministers for EU affairs discussed the matter on Monday (5 December) but failed to reach agreement. A decision to grant candidate status, recommended by the European Commission in October, requires unanimity among the member states.

Germany is one of several member states that oppose Serbia’s application as long as roadblocks in Serb-held areas of Kosovo are preventing NATO peacekeepers and EU officials from moving freely.

On Monday, Serbs in north Kosovo began removing some of the barricades that block border-crossings into Serbia, after Boris Tadic´, Serbia’s president, called on them to do so. This followed an agreement late on Friday (2 December) between Serbia and Kosovo to set up joint border controls, with many details still vague. But these developments appeared insufficient to change Germany’s position. Austria – generally a strong advocate of EU enlargement in the western Balkans – and the United Kingdom also believe that Serbia needs to show a more constructive attitude toward Kosovo in order to be granted candidate status.

Montenegro

EU leaders are expected to be more welcoming to Montenegro, which is seeking a date for the opening of membership negotiations, a move recommended by the Commission.

EU leaders will repeat their familiar call on Turkey, whose membership talks have in effect been suspended, to honour its obligations toward the EU, including opening its ports to traffic from Cyprus. Another perennial item on the Council agenda is the Commission’s recommendation to open membership talks with Macedonia. This will again be blocked by Greece.

Fact File

Iran sanctions

The European Council will endorse a decision by foreign ministers last Thursday (1 December) to impose more sweeping sanctions against Iran by January, in response to the country’s alleged bid to acquire or develop nuclear weapons. The leaders are not expected to discuss the specifics of the new type of sanctions, which are currently being prepared by national experts and diplomats for adoption next month. The ministers agreed that the new measures should target Iran’s financial system and its transport and energy sectors.

There are deep divisions among the member states on how far the new sanctions should go. France, Germany and the UK are pushing for the complete suspension of financial and energy links with Iran, but other member states, led by Greece, oppose this. Greece has in recent months turned to Iran for much of its imported oil, because other producers are reluctant to deal with Athens out of fear it might not be able to pay. Italy and Spain also have significant oil imports from Iran.