STATUS OF WESTERN BALKAN COUNTRIES

1. Albania: Membership Status, Candidate country: In 2009, Albania submitted its formal application for EU membership. In its Opinion on Albania's application (in 2010), the Commission assessed that before accession negotiations could be formally opened, Albania still had to achieve a necessary degree of compliance with the membership criteria and in particular to meet the 12 key priorities identified in the Opinion. In October 2012, Commission recommended that Albania be granted EU candidate status, subject to completion of key measures in the areas of judicial and public administration reform and revision of the parliamentary rules of procedures. On 27 June 2014, EU granted Albania candidate status.
2. Bosnia & Herzegovina: On 27 June 2012, the EU and Bosnia and Herzegovina launched the High Level Dialogue on the Accession Process.
3. Croatia:  EU Member State as of 1st July 2013.
4. Kosovo: On 25 July 2014, the EU and Kosovo chief negotiators initialled the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the EU and Kosovo in Brussels.
5. Macedonia, Membership Status, Candidate Country: The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia applied for EU membership in March 2004. The Commission issued a favourable opinion in November 2005, and the Council decided in December 2005 to grant the country candidate status. In October 2009, the Commission recommended that accession negotiations be opened. On 29 March 2012, European Commission launched a High Level Accession Dialogue with Macedonia in Skopje.
6. Montenegro, Membership Status, Candidate Country: In 2010, the European Commission issued a favourable opinion on Montenegro’s application, identifying 7 priorities that would need to be addressed for negotiations to begin and the Council granted Montenegro Candidate status. In December 2011, the Council launched the accession process with a view to opening negotiations in June 2012. The accession negotiations with Montenegro started on 29 June 2012. On 18 December 2012, Accession conference- First chapter provisionally closed (Science and Research). On 18 December 2013, Opening of rule of law Chapters: Chapter 23- Judiciary and Fundamental Rights and Chapter 24- Justice, Freedom and Security. On 31 March 2014, Negotiations are opened on Chapter7- Intellectual Property Rights and Chapter 10, Information Society and Media. On 24 June 2014, Negotiations are opened on Chapter 4, Free Movement of Capitals, Chapter 31, Foreign, Security and Defence Policy and Chapter 32, Financial Control.
7. Serbia, Membership Status, Candidate country: In line with the decision of the European Council in June 2013 to open accession negotiations with Serbia, the Council adopted in December 2013 the negotiation framework and agreed to hold the 1st Intergovernmental Conference with Serbia in January 2014. On 21 January 2014, the 1st Intergovernmental Conference took place, signaling the formal start of Serbia’s accession negotiations.
8. Slovenia: EU Member State since 1st May 2004.

Note: A country is deemed to be a candidate country when, having examined its application for EU membership, the EU Council formally recognises the country as candidate, thus granting the country candidate status. Acceding countries are those candidate countries which have completed accession negotiations and signed an accession treaty with the EU.