While reaffirming its open-door policy for the Balkans, the EU has made it clear that progress depends on meeting the Copenhagen criteria and the conditions of the Stabilisation and Association Process, as well as on other key factors such as democracy, the rule of law, respect for human rights, the rights of minorities, and full co-operation with the UN war crimes tribunal.
Premda je ponovno potvrdila svoju politiku otvorenih vrata prema Balkanu, EU je jasno naglasila kako napredak ovisi o udovoljavanju kriterijima iz Kopenhagena, te uvjetima iz Procesa stabilizacije i pridruživanja, kao i ostalim ključnim faktorima poput demokracije, vladavine zakona, poštivanja ljudskih prava, prava manjina, te puna suradnja s UN-ovim tribunalom za ratne zločine.