Memo: Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia: another step forward on the road to accession

On 22 March 2004, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia applied for membership of the European Union. The European Commission was subsequently requested, on 17 May 2004, by the Council of Ministers to prepare an Opinion on the application, thus setting in motion the process which could lead to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia joining the EU. Among the sources of information used by the Commission in the preparation of this Opinion were the answers to the Questionnaire which the Government of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia handed over to President Jose Manuel Barroso and Olli Rehn, Commissioner for Enlargement on 14 February 2005 in Brussels.