EC postpones publishing of progress report

05/10/2015 16:35

The “Junker” Commission published the first enlargement package with one
week of delay. Although October 14th has been declared for months as
the final date, the European Commission made a last minute decision to
postpone the publication of this package that also holds the progress
report for Albania, Turkey and the other countries of our region.

The reason for this seems to be flux of refugees and the EU agenda, which culminates with the EU summit on October 15th and 16th.

Confidential sources at the EU executive said for Top Channel that the “College of Commissioners has not included the enlargement package and the decision for it might be taken on Wednesday October 21st, the next meeting.

The postponement was officially confirmed by Spokesperson Kocijancic, but the reasons, according to her, are related to the media and public attention on this package, as stated in the respective press release.

“This is the first enlargement package of the ‘Junker’ Commissioner. For the first time it includes a mid-term strategy, and the reports for the countries will have a different representation from the past. There is strong interest from the President and the entire college that the package should receive the necessary media and public attention. Since the European Council will gather the next week, which will focus on migration, the package will be preferably presented one week later, to guarantee the deserved public and media attention”, Kocijancic says.

This is the first time that the European Commission announces so late the postponement of the Enlargement Package approval.

Top Channel