Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 52: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which he and his EU colleagues continue to give positive encouragement to the various communities throughout the western Balkans with particular reference to the need to ensure that the stabilisation and monitoring of peace structures put in place in the aftermath of the war in Bosnia; if due regard has been given to the various opinions expressed by the EU and international observers in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17530/12]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The Thessaloniki European Council of June 2003 reaffirmed the European perspective of the Western Balkan countries. The overarching policy of the European Union in the Western Balkans is to see all the countries of the region become EU member states. Recent activity by the EU confirms the ongoing commitment to the region. Croatia has come the furthest on that path since 2003 and is due to become an EU member state in 2013. The March European Council confirmed Serbia as an official candidate for EU accession. It joins Montenegro and Macedonia in that regard. I was pleased to see the attendance by the Foreign Ministers of all three countries at a dinner with EU Foreign Ministers on the margins of the Foreign Affairs Council last week.

Albania has submitted an application for EU membership. The government is currently working on addressing a number of key issues in the hopes of securing candidate status in the near future.

While Bosnia-Herzegovina has yet to apply for membership, the recent formation of a State-level government, and its rapid moves to implement reforms required to ratify the Stabilisation and Association Agreement are encouraging. I gave details of the recent progress in my response to PQ 44 on 21 March 2012. Most recently Bakir Izetbegovic, the Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia-Herzegovina, met with Herman Van Rompuy and High Representative Ashton in Brussels last week. At those meetings he underlined that despite a number of divisions within the country, Bosnia-Herzegovina is fully united behind its European future. He also confirmed that the Bosnian government is aiming to present a membership application to the EU by the end of June 2012, after implementing the Sejdic –Finci ruling.

The EU perspective of Bosnia-Herzegovina is the most powerful tool at the disposal of the international community to help build and maintain stability in the country. The EU Special Representative to Bosnia-Herzegovina was in Dublin this week and, among others, met with Minister of State Creighton to brief her on role being played by the EU Delegation in ensuring that Bosnia-Herzegovina can continue to make progress on its European path.

While Kosovo, at the present time, has a lot of catching-up to do with its neighbours, the EU also remains committed to its European future. The EU-facilitated Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue saw agreement in February on a number of issues that should lead to improvements in the everyday lives of people from both countries. Commissioner Stefan Fule is in Kosovo this week to launch a feasibility study for a Stabilisation and Association Agreement. The feasibility study will provide a comprehensive exploration of Kosovo's further integration into the EU's policy framework for the Western Balkans.

The EU's enlargement policy remains the EU's most effective tool in supporting reform and transformation in the region. The adoption by the Western Balkans countries of the EU's values ensures stability and irreversible political reform. Ultimately the policy contributes to both our security and our prosperity. My Department closely follows developments in the region including opinions by EU and international observers there.