Serbia has taken a step towards its goal of EU membership by opening talks on four policy areas, but EU officials warn Belgrade that progress in the process still depends on further reforms and normalization of relations with Kosovo.

To be able to join the 27-country EU, candidate states must bring their laws and regulations into line with bloc standards through negotiations in 35 policy areas or chapters, including finance, agriculture, transport, energy, social policy and justice.

On December 14, Serbia was allowed to open discussions on climate change and the environment, energy, transport policy and trans-European infrastructure networks – this is the first time that the Balkan country has opened four chapters at a time.

Belgrade has now opened 22 negotiating chapters since the start of its membership talks in 2014.

“Serbia is taking another very important step towards joining the European Union,” said Commissioner for EU Enlargement Negotiations Oliver Varhelyi after the intergovernmental conference with Serbia in Brussels.

Gasper Dovzan, State Secretary at the Slovenian Foreign Ministry, whose country currently holds the Presidency of the Council of the EU, said the Serbian government “is giving priority to EU-related reforms and has held a certain number of major commitments, particularly in the area of ​​taxation and energy. “

But “further efforts are needed,” said Dovzan, citing the independence of the judiciary, freedom of the media and the fight against corruption and organized crime.

“Serbia’s progress on the rule of law and normalization of relations with Kosovo remains essential and will continue to determine the overall pace of the negotiations,” he added.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 after a 1998-99 conflict between ethnic Albanian separatists and Serbian forces. The war ended after a 78-day NATO air campaign drove out Serbian troops and a peacekeeping force intervened.

Kosovo’s independence has been recognized by more than 100 countries, including the United States and all but five of the EU member states. But Serbia still considers the territory to be a southern province and is supported by Russia and China.

EU-mediated talks between Pristina and Belgrade to settle their differences have stalled.