The 2025 Communication on EU enlargement policy provides an updated assessment of Serbia’s advancement towards EU membership. Although Serbia has opened 22 of the 35 negotiating chapters (with two provisionally closed), the overall pace of reforms has stalled, and no new cluster has been opened since 2021. Renewed commitment is required to address shortcomings in the fundamentals, including rule of law, democratic institutions, media freedom, and alignment with the EU’s common foreign and security policy.

For policies relevant to the internal market and the retail ecosystem, the report points to persistent gaps in acquis alignment and to the need for greater transparency, consumer protection, and competitiveness. Of particular relevance for the retail sector, the accompanying Staff Working Document highlights a major state intervention in product markets. In August 2025 the government announced—without meaningful prior stakeholder consultation—a new measure entering into force on 1 September 2025 for six months, capping margins for the largest retailers, wholesalers and distributors at a maximum of 20% of the purchase price across a broad range of basic goods (including most food categories, household cleaning products, personal hygiene products, cosmetics, etc.). While presented as an anti-inflation measure intended to protect consumers, this intervention poses risks for retail business operations, supply chain functioning, investment, and the overall business climate.

The Communication underlines that progress on fundamentals is essential for improving economic governance and ensuring predictability for businesses preparing for gradual integration into the single market. It also notes the need for Serbia to communicate more consistently about its EU path and to avoid anti-EU rhetoric.