On 1 July 2026, The Left group in the European Parliament tabled a single amendment to the draft report on Serbia, calling on the European Commission to use "clearer language" and act "consistently" in addressing Serbia's democratic backsliding. The amendment, tabled by MEP Danilo Della Valle, targets paragraph 20 of the report by rapporteur Tonino Picula, which currently expresses "concern" about the Commission's "appeasing approach." The Left's amendment retains that concern but adds an explicit demand for a tougher, more unambiguous Commission posture, without altering the underlying list of criticisms against Serbia.
The amendment is the first parliamentary intervention on the 2025 Commission report on Serbia, which assessed the country's progress in EU accession talks. The Left's move sharpens the European Parliament's critical stance, arguing that the Commission's current language has failed to halt a multi-year deterioration in rule of law, democracy, and fundamental rights in Serbia. The amendment also links Serbia's domestic trajectory to its "destabilising influence on the whole region," broadening the geopolitical concern beyond bilateral EU-Serbia relations.
As a proposed amendment, the text has not yet been voted on and does not represent the European Parliament's official position. It will be examined by the Committee on Foreign Affairs before a plenary vote, where other political groups may table competing amendments. The Commission is expected to respond to the Parliament's final resolution later in the year.
The amendment reflects The Left's consistent line of holding the Commission to a stricter standard of accountability in enlargement policy, particularly regarding democratic conditionality. By demanding clearer language, the group seeks to increase pressure on the Commission to move from expressing concern to taking concrete action, potentially affecting the pace and conditions of Serbia's accession negotiations.