Serbia's status as a candidate country for European Union membership

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Serbia's status as a candidate country for European Union membership

Background

The European Commission's enlargement pages give Serbia's membership status as candidate country. Serbia, along with 5 other Western Balkans countries, was identified as a potential candidate for EU membership during the Thessaloniki European Council summit in 2003. In 2008 a European partnership for Serbia was adopted, and in 2009 Serbia formally applied. In March 2012 Serbia was granted EU candidate status, and in September 2013 a Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the EU and Serbia entered into force. On 21 January 2014 the 1st Intergovernmental Conference took place, signalling the formal start of Serbia's accession negotiations. So far, 22 out of 35 chapters have been opened, two of which are provisionally closed. A candidate country is a state whose application has been accepted and which is negotiating accession; it is not yet a member state of the European Union.

Membership status: candidate country Year Serbia formally applied: 2009 When candidate status was granted: March 2012 Negotiating chapters opened: 22 out of 35 Start of accession negotiations: 21 January 2014

Why it matters for exams: Candidate status is routinely confused with membership; the examiner's point is that Serbia negotiates but does not yet sit as a member state.

Kerala PSCUPSCBank

3 October 2026 Source: European Commission, Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood

In plain words

Candidate country European Union candidate country — A state whose membership application the European Union has accepted and which is negotiating the terms of entry.

Negotiating chapter Accession negotiating chapter — One of the 35 policy areas in which a candidate's law must be brought into line with European Union rules.