What changed between the draft committee report and the plenary report

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

16 unchanged paragraphs

on the 2023 and 2024 Commission reports on North Macedonia

(2025/2021(INI))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of North Macedonia, of the other part,

– having regard to North Macedonia’s application for membership of the European Union, submitted on 22 March 2004,

– having regard to the European Council decision of 16 December 2005 to grant North Macedonia EU candidate country status,

– having regard to the European Council conclusions of 19-20 June 2003, including the annex thereto entitled ‘The Thessaloniki agenda for the Western Balkans: Moving towards European integration’,

– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/1529 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 September 2021 establishing the Instrument for Pre-Accession assistance (IPA III),

– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2024/1449 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024 on establishing the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans,

– having regard to the Commission communication of 5 February 2020 entitled ‘Enhancing the accession process – A credible EU perspective for the Western Balkans’ (COM(2020)0057),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 8 November 2023 entitled ‘2023 Communication on EU Enlargement Policy’ (COM(2023)0690), accompanied by the Commission staff working document entitled ‘North Macedonia 2023 Report’ (SWD(2023)0693),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 8 November 2023 entitled ‘New growth plan for the Western Balkans’ (COM(2023)0691),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 20 March 2024 on pre-enlargement reforms and policy reviews (COM(2024)0146),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 24 July 2024 entitled ‘2024 Rule of Law Report’ (COM(2024)0800), accompanied by the Commission staff working document entitled ‘2024 Rule of Law Report – Country Chapter on the rule of law situation in North Macedonia’ (SWD(2024)0830),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 30 October 2024 entitled ‘2024 Communication on EU enlargement policy’ (COM(2024)0690), accompanied by the Commission staff working document entitled ‘North Macedonia 2024 Report’ (SWD(2024)0693),

– having regard to the Reform Agenda of North Macedonia as approved by the Commission under the Reform and Growth Facility on 23 October 2024,

Removed:– having regard to the final report of 23 September 2024 of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) Election Observation Mission on North Macedonia’s presidential election on 24 April 2024 and parliamentary elections on 8 May 2024,

Added:– having regard to the declarations of the EU-Western Balkans summits of 13 December 2023 and of 18 December 2024 in Brussels as well as the declarations of the EU-Western Balkans summits held in Sofia, Zagreb and Brdo pri Kranju in 2018, 2020 and 2021 respectively, and the Declaration on the Common Regional Market and the Declaration on the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans agreed on 10 November 2020 at the Sofia Summit within the Berlin Process,

Changed:– having regard to the declarationsCouncil conclusions of the18 EU-WesternJuly Balkans2022 summitson ofEnlargement 13– DecemberNorth 2023Macedonia and ofAlbania 18and Decemberthe 2024Council inconclusions Brussels,on Enlargement of 17 December 2024,

Added:– having regard to the final report of 23 September 2024 of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) Election Observation Mission on North Macedonia’s presidential election on 24 April 2024 and parliamentary elections on 8 May 2024,

– having regard to the Berlin Process launched on 28 August 2014,

Removed:– having regard to its previous resolutions on North Macedonia,

Added:– having regard to the Treaty of friendship, good neighbourliness and cooperation between Bulgaria and North Macedonia, signed on 1 August 2017 and ratified in January 2018;

Added:– having regard to the Final Agreement for the settlement of the differences as described in the United Nations Security Council resolutions 817 (1993) and 845 (1993), the termination of the Interim Accord of 1995, and the establishment of a strategic partnership between Greece and North Macedonia, agreed on 17 June 2018, also known as the Prespa Agreement,

Added:– having regard to the joint staff working document entitled ‘Objectives and Indicators to frame the implementation of the Gender Action Plan III (2021-25)’ (SWD(2020)0284) accompanying the joint communication of the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 25 November 2020 entitled ’EU Gender Action Plan (GAP) III – An ambitions vision for gender equality and women’s empowerment in EU external action (JOIN(2020)0017), as well as the Country Level Implementation Plan (CLIP) for North Macedonia,

Added:– having regard to the 2023 European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) Report on North Macedonia, adopted on 29 June 2023 and published on 20 September 2023,

Added:– having regard to the declaration and joint recommendations adopted at the 23rd meeting of the EU-North Macedonia Joint Parliamentary Committee, held on 27 and 28 February 2025 in Skopje,

Added:– having regard to its previous resolutions on North Macedonia, and in particular its resolution of 24 October 2019 on opening accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania,

– having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure,

Changed:– having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (A10-0000/2025),(A10-0118/2025),

A. whereas North Macedonia has held EU candidate country status since 2005 and successfully completed the screening process in December 2023;

Change 1

Changed:B. whereas the aspirations of citizens of North Macedonia to become part of the EU have led to considerable progress in terms of democracy and socio-economic reforms, while the EU accession process continues to experience blockagesregrettable delays for various unwarranted reasons;

Change 2

Removed:C. whereas North Macedonia is a trustworthy partner, fully aligned with the EU’s common foreign and security policy;

Added:C. whereas the EU has mobilised approximately EUR 210 million in macro-financial assistance loans since 2020, aimed at stabilising the Macedonian economy, aiding its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and accelerating its reform progress;

Removed:D. whereas North Macedonia needs to adopt the outstanding constitutional reforms so that accession negotiations can start swiftly;

Added:D. whereas North Macedonia is a partner that is aligned with the EU’s common foreign and security policy in the vast majority of cases and has played a constructive role in the region; whereas North Macedonia’s recent abstention from United Nations General Assembly Resolution ES-11/7 of 24 February 2025 on Ukraine and its co-sponsorship of an alternative resolution led by the United States indicates an unexpected and regrettable shift in its foreign policy alignment;

Removed:1. Reiterates its full support for North Macedonia’s wish to join the EU;

Added:E. whereas North Macedonia participates in EU military crisis management operations, including EUFOR Althea in Bosnia and Herzegovina;

Removed:2. Recalls the need to maintain the momentum and credibility of the European integration process; notes that North Macedonia continues to demonstrate commitment to EU integration and alignment with EU policies; calls for the swift advancement of accession negotiations, while noting the importance of adopting the concerted constitutional amendments; encourages all political parties in North Macedonia to engage in constructive dialogue to achieve the necessary consensus on these amendments, which would strengthen the country’s multi-ethnic character and accelerate its progress towards EU membership;

Added:F. whereas the Council reached new conclusions in July 2022 which mean that North Macedonia needs to adopt the outstanding constitutional changes, in line with its commitments, so that the opening phase of accession negotiations can be completed immediately;

Removed:3. Welcomes the new Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans which will provide EUR 750 million in grants and loans to North Macedonia;

Added:G. whereas the geopolitical changes, the war in Ukraine, disinformation and misinformation have a strong impact on all European countries, both politically and economically;

Removed:4. Welcomes the continued stability of interethnic relations and the implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement;

Added:H. whereas North Macedonia remains a target of foreign malign influence operations, including efforts to fracture the country’s social fabric and weaponise anti-EU sentiment, notably via Serbian-language tabloids and media outlets, which function as regional amplifiers of Kremlin narratives and enjoy considerable influence; whereas North Macedonia expelled 13 Russian diplomats between 2018 and 2023 for activities incompatible with their diplomatic status, suggesting an ongoing presence of covert influence networks; whereas China has sought to expand its influence through information control, investment diplomacy and coercive clauses in infrastructure loan agreements;

Removed:5. Urges North Macedonia to intensify efforts to strengthen the rule of law and judicial independence, counter corruption, reform its public administration and improve the transparency and concentration of media ownership;

Added:I. whereas North Macedonia’s authorities have proposed solutions for constitutional change that did not meet the conditions of the July 2022 Council conclusions;

Added:J. whereas any accession country is expected to respect democratic values, the rule of law and human rights, and to abide by EU law;

Added:K. whereas the Council has not excluded unequivocally the adoption of further new conditions for the starting of accession negotiations;

Added:L. whereas the EU has consistently demonstrated its recognition of the Macedonian language and identity;

Added:1. Reiterates its full support for North Macedonia’s continued and persistent commitment to join the EU and for the necessary transformative changes that are required to fulfil the accession criteria; commends the country’s commitment to European integration and encourages continued efforts in advancing EU-aligned reforms, despite the challenges and setbacks that have tested the patience and trust of the Macedonian society;

Added:2. Underlines that EU accession remains a matter of political will in fulfilling the criteria and implementing the commitments undertaken, in terms of both making the necessary reforms and adopting the necessary constitutional amendments;

Added:3. Recalls the need to maintain the momentum and credibility of the EU integration process; notes that North Macedonia continues to demonstrate commitment to EU integration and alignment with EU policies; calls for the swift advancement of accession negotiations, while noting the importance of adopting the constitutional amendments; urges the European Council to signal, publicly and unequivocally, that the Council intends to swiftly and unconditionally take the positive decision to enter into the next phase of accession negotiations with North Macedonia once the conditions of its conclusions of 18 July 2022 have been fulfilled, while fully respecting the Macedonian language and identity; encourages all political parties in North Macedonia to engage in constructive dialogue to achieve the necessary consensus on these amendments, which would strengthen the country’s multi-ethnic character and accelerate its progress towards EU membership; believes that strengthening the links between the multiple ethnicities is essential for improving social cohesion and ensuring more effective governance; calls on the Member States, the Council and the Commission to safeguard the predictability and credibility of the accession process, also with a view to maintaining popular support for accession in enlargement countries;

Added:4. Welcomes the successful completion of the screening process for North Macedonia at the end of 2023; encourages North Macedonia to adopt the constitutional amendments that the country committed to making and implementing, as required by the Council, in order for the accession negotiation process to proceed;

Added:5. Commends the commitment of the Macedonian people to EU integration and the support they show to this project two decades on from starting the process; urges the Commission to do the utmost to help the authorities of North Macedonia accomplish the necessary steps before entering into the next negotiation phase as well as further along the negotiation process, to help deliver on the expectations of citizens and the country and to explore all measures for gradual integration into the EU structures, thus increasing trust in the EU and its democratic values;

Added:6. Recalls that the accession process should not be used to settle bilateral disputes, obstruct merit-based progress on the European path or outweigh the broader strategic interests of the Union, but that such disputes must rather be addressed through open dialogue and genuine cooperation; underlines that accession negotiations should follow a clear path, guided by objective criteria and solely based on merit and the fulfilment of the accession criteria (Copenhagen criteria), which require in-depth reforms across fundamental areas, as well as the presence of stable institutions that guarantee democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and the protection of minorities;

Added:7. Affirms the importance of unequivocally recognising and respecting the Macedonian language and identity as an integral part of the nation’s heritage and constitutional order, but also of European values; notes that the European institutions, in country reports and official documents, consistently refer to the Macedonian language in line with international recognition and the implementation of the Prespa Agreement; reaffirms that the respect for linguistic, cultural and national identity is a fundamental component of the EU accession process and a cornerstone of democratic societies which will be further affirmed with the accession to the family of European nations;

Added:8. Repeats its calls for the EU’s capacity to act to be enhanced through a reform of its decision-making, including through the introduction of qualified majority voting on the intermediate steps in the accession process, in particular at the start of negotiations and the opening and closing of individual negotiating clusters and chapters;

Added:9. Welcomes the new Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans which will provide EUR 750 million in grants and loans to North Macedonia when it meets the conditions set out in its Reform Agenda; welcomes, in this context, the excellent and ambitious Reform Agenda, which sets clear, transparent goals and targets, and calls on the authorities to focus on its rigorous implementation; underlines the need to focus on incentivising reforms and reinforcing economic stability as well as on public administration, governance, the rule of law and the fight against corruption, decarbonisation and the green transition, digitalisation, connectivity and human capital development, while addressing social challenges;

Added:10. Notes the funds being received by North Macedonia from individual Member States and the good cooperation between them; warns however about strengthening alliances with illiberal regimes;