Crisis financial aid for enlargement countries

Countries covered by the EU enlargement policy will benefit from the 27 February initiative by the largest multilateral investors and lenders in eastern Europe to provide up to €24.5 billion to support the banking sectors in the region and to fund lending to businesses hit by the global economic crisis.

The benefits of enlargement five years on

The recent enlargements of the European Union were a milestone in the process of unifying Europe and have brought benefits to citizens throughout the Union, according to a European Commission Communication published on 20 February.

Regret over delays in Croatia’s negotiations

Accession negotiations should place more emphasis on implementing reforms with a view to completing negotiations by the end of 2009, concluded the EU-Croatia Joint Parliamentary Committee meeting on 23-24 February in Zagreb.

Kosovo* still in "supervised independence"

Kosovo is "still in a stage of supervised independence," Pieter Feith, the EU Special Representative in Kosovo, told the European Parliament’s foreign affairs committee on 11 February. *Under UNSCR 1244/1999

Western Balkans discussed by EU foreign affairs ministers

At their General Affairs and External Relations Council meeting in Brussels on 23 February, EU foreign affairs minister discussed the Western Balkans over lunch.

Albania’s Stabilisation and Association Agreement approved by Council

The European Union Council adopted a decision on 26 February approving the conclusion of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with Albania.

Council support renewed for International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia

The Council gave its backing on 26 February for renewed measures in support of the effective implementation of the mandate of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

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