Explanatory screening resumes in Brussels
Brussels, 19 September 2022 (MIA) – Expert teams from North Macedonia and Albania are continuing the visit to Brussels this week to focus on the EU legislation in areas within the first cluster for EU negotiations, MIA’s Brussels correspondent reports.
The explanatory screening started towards the end of last week with Chapter 5 – Public Procurement and Chapter 18 – Statistics, both part of the first cluster known as Fundamentals. This cluster also incorporates key chapters on justice, judiciary and fundamental rights.
This week in Brussels the countries’ expert teams will continue focus on the current and new EU legislation, updated laws and regulations in the rest of the chapters within the first cluster.
On Monday, meetings will focus on public administration reform. By the end of the week, the agenda also includes economic criteria, financial control, the rule of law and fundamental rights, as well as the Chapter on Justice, Freedom and Security.
The explanatory screening should last through November. It is held alongside the Albanian team but the two countries will be separated when the bilateral screening process begins in about two months’ time.
During the bilateral screenings the negotiating country must present the progress made in each of the chapters of the acquis, followed by an EC report assessing the progress, a document that should be adopted by Union members, i.e. the Council.
The bilateral screening could begin sometime in November and finish by the end of 2023, with North Macedonia meanwhile set to make constitutional changes by incorporating the Bulgarian community, as prerequisite for the opening of the negotiating chapters.
