Brussels Week: Kos Presents the Enlargement Package With Serbia Between Governments
The Commission’s annual verdict on candidates lands on 4 November. Serbia’s report will describe an outgoing government, not the incoming one.
European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos will present the Commission’s 2026 Enlargement Package on 4 November, the European Parliament has announced. On 5 November MEPs will debate the EU’s financial instruments for the Western Balkans, Moldova and Ukraine.
Why the timing matters for Serbia
The annual package assesses each candidate’s progress on the rule of law, the economy and alignment with EU policy. Serbia’s report will cover a year dominated by protests and an outgoing government. The Student List, which won the 25 October election, will not have formed a cabinet by then, so the report is likely to be read as a baseline for the new majority rather than a verdict on it.
Serbia has not opened a new negotiating cluster since 2021. The EU has repeatedly said it expects progress on media freedom, the independence of institutions and alignment with EU foreign policy.
The regional picture
Montenegro remains the frontrunner in the region, as EU leaders confirmed at the EU–Western Balkans summit in Tivat in June. The next EU–Western Balkans summit is planned for Brussels on 25 November, with the Growth Plan for the region and security on the agenda.
Sources
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