The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 2006 progress report.

Abstract

The European Council of 17 December 2005 granted the status of candidate country to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. This is the first report on progress made by this country in preparing for EU membership. The report: –briefly describes the relations between the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and the Union; –analyses the situation in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in terms of the political criteria for membership; –analyses the situation in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia on the basis of the economic criteria for membership; –reviews former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's capacity to assume the obligations of membership, that is, the acquis expressed in the Treaties, the secondary legislation, and the policies of the Union.