19th meeting of the Stabilisation and Association Committee between the European Union and the Republic of North Macedonia
The 19th meeting of the Stabilisation and Association Committee between the European Union and North Macedonia (SA Committee) took place in Skopje on 10 February 2026. The meeting was co-chaired by Deputy Minister of European Affairs Viktorija Trajkov and Sigrid Brettel, DG ENEST Head of Unit for Albania and North Macedonia. Opening remarks were delivered by First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of European Affairs Bekim Sali and DG ENEST Director for the Western Balkans Valentina Superti.
The SA Committee welcomed the important achievements made since the last meeting in 2021, including closing the screening process and starting the opening phase of the accession negotiations process. It underlined the importance for North Macedonia to move forward on the accession process and implement conditions set in the European Council Conclusions in 2022. The Committee welcomed progress in addressing the benchmarks for the opening of the fundamentals cluster: a roadmap for public administration reform and a roadmap for the rule of law chapters with an accompanying action plan on the protection of the rights of persons belonging to minorities or communities, to be prepared and finalised in an inclusive process.
The SA Committee took stock of the state of play in relation to the political and economic criteria, the implementation of the Reform Agenda under the Reform and Growth Facility and the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, as well as alignment with EU legislation. The Committee underlined the importance of advancing EU reforms, especially regarding the fundamentals, recommendations in the Commission’s 2025 report and the conclusions of SA Sub-Committees and PAR Special Group.The Committee welcomed the commitment to, and progress made by North Macedonia on the Reform Agenda, and emphasised the importance of addressing all steps and, as a matter of priority, those reaching the end of their grace period in June 2026.
The SA Committee called on all political parties and national stakeholders to work jointly on maintaining and strengthening political dialogue and highlighted the importance of addressing the outstanding OSCE/ODIHR and Venice Commission recommendations on electoral reform. The Committee encouraged continued reforms in key areas such as the judiciary, fight against corruption and organised crime, and public administration. The SA Committee took note of the ongoing preparation of a new Criminal Code in line with the EU acquis and international standards. It recognised progress achieved in sectors such as digitalisation, while noting challenges in the areas of environment and climate protection.
The SA Committee welcomed North Macedonia’s continued full alignment with the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy. It reiterated that good neighbourly relations and regional cooperation remain essential elements of the enlargement process, as well as of the Stabilisation and Association Process and that bilateral agreements need to be implemented in good faith by all parties.