EU considers freezing Serbia's €1.5 billion in EU funds amid rule of law scrutiny

Published connected 20/04/2026 - 18:45 GMT+2•Updated 18:46

The European Commission is presently evaluating whether to suspend €1.5 cardinal successful EU backing for Serbia owed to rule-of-law concerns and contentious judicial reforms introduced by Belgrade successful January, Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos told EU lawmakers connected Monday.

Kos said she was peculiarly acrophobic astir ineligible amendments that present large changes, creating a flawed signifier of autonomy for Serbia’s anti-corruption prosecution and weakening the independency of the judiciary.

"We are progressively disquieted astir what is happening successful Serbia. From laws that undermine the independency of the judiciary to crackdowns connected protesters and recurrent meddling successful autarkic media", she told MEPs.

As a campaigner state for EU rank since 2012, Serbia is eligible for EU backing to enactment its required interior reforms.

However, Serbia’s way toward the Union has slowed owed to its adjacent ties to Russia and to President Aleksandar Vučić’s crackdown connected an anti-government and anti-corruption protests that began successful December 2024 aft a factual awning collapsed astatine a bid presumption successful Novi Sad, sidesplitting 16 people.

Tensions with the EU person been fuelled by Serbia’s stance connected Russia’s penetration of Ukraine.

In May 2025, the European Parliament adopted a solution criticising Serbia’s nonaccomplishment to align with EU overseas policy. While Serbia has condemned the warfare of aggression, it has continued to garbage to enforce sanctions connected Moscow.

The European Commission said it is awaiting the appraisal of the Council of Europe connected the judicial instrumentality approved successful January. The alleged Venice Commission, a assemblage of the Council of Europe, visited Belgrade connected 16–17 March to hole its opinion.

"We volition proceed to enactment Serbia connected its EU path. But we expect the authorities to afloat align its judicial laws with the Venice Commission's recommendations and to reconstruct the independency of its media", Kos said connected Monday.

"The Venice Commission volition contented the urgent sentiment successful the coming weeks", the Council of Europe said successful a property connection successful mid-March.