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Serbia

The day you become an EU citizen

When the accession treaty takes effect, every citizen becomes an EU citizen automatically. No application, no queue. That day is not set yet. This page tracks how close it is, using primary sources.

Data verified as of 15 Jun 2026

Estimated EU citizenship

~March 2036

 

A live estimate for the base scenario. It changes as milestones land or slip.

Just achieved · 14 Dec 2021

Cluster 4 "Green Agenda" opens — the last cluster opened to date

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The 10 steps to membership

Currently on step 6 — negotiating the EU's rulebook, cluster by cluster. Open any step for the detail and its source.

  1. Application

    Done
    22 Dec 2009

    Serbia formally applied to join the European Union.

    Primary sourceEuropean Commission (DG NEAR)View source

  2. Candidate status

    Done
    1 Mar 2012

    The European Council confirmed Serbia as a candidate country.

    Primary sourceEuropean Commission (DG NEAR)View source

  3. Council agrees to open negotiations

    Done
    28 Jun 2013

  4. Negotiating framework + first Intergovernmental Conference

    Done
    21 Jan 2014

    The first Intergovernmental Conference opened accession negotiations with Serbia.

    Primary sourceEuropean Commission (DG NEAR)View source

  5. Screening of the acquis

    Done
    24 Mar 2015

  1. Cluster-by-cluster negotiations

    In progress
    21 Jan 2014

    22 of 35 chapters opened, 2 provisionally closed. Four clusters have open chapters, but no new cluster or chapter has opened since December 2021 — the pace is tied to rule-of-law reform and the normalisation of relations with Kosovo.

    Primary sourceEuropean Commission (DG NEAR)View source

  2. All chapters provisionally closed

    Not started

  3. Accession Treaty signed

    Not started

  4. Ratification by all 27 + European Parliament + candidate

    Not started

  5. Entry into force → membership

    Not started

The 6 clusters

Negotiations →

When will membership actually come?

The forecast separates finishing the negotiations from actually joining — the two are not the same date.

See the forecast →