Netherlands unblocks EU interim trade agreement Serbia

The Netherlands has lifted its opposition to unblocking an interim trade agreement between the EU and Serbia. This comes shortly after ICTY chief prosecutor Serge Brammertz was mildly positive in his report to the UN Security Council on Serbia's level of cooperation with ICTY. The interim trade agreement is part of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA), which the Netherlands says will be unblocked as soon as Serbia hands over former general Ratko Mladic, indicted by the UN war crimes tribunal.

The trade agreement is a significant step for Serbia's application for full EU membership.

In his report, Brammertz said Serbia must continue searching for both Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic.