Brussels  - Serbia could become a candidate for European Union membership in 2009 if it proves that it is doing its best to catch war-crimes suspects, the EU's executive said Wednesday.

Brussels - Turkey has proven itself to be a reliable international partner and a key energy transit route, but it must work harder on political and human-rights reforms if it wants to join the European Union, the EU's executive said Wednesday.

Brussels - Croatia should be able to finish all talks on joining the EU by the end of 2009, paving the way for it to enter the bloc as early as 2011, the EU's executive body said Wednesday.

It is the first time that the European Commission has set out a timetable for the former Yugoslav republic to complete all EU accession negotiations.

Brussels - Croatia should be able to finish all talks on joining the EU by the end of 2009, paving the way for it to enter the bloc as early as 2011, the EU's executive body said Wednesday.

"Croatia is expected to reach the final phase of accession negotiations by the end of 2009 if it has taken the necessary preparatory steps," the European Commission said in an annual report on the former Yugoslav republic's progress towards membership.

It is the first time that the EU's Brussels-based executive has set out a timetable for Croatia to become the EU's 28th member since the Adriatic state became a candidate for membership in 2004.

Brussels - NATO expects "ever stronger cooperation" from US president-elect Barak Obama at a crucial time for the transatlantic alliance, Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said Wednesday.

"Today's security challenges require an ever stronger cooperation and solidarity between Allies, and I look forward to the role the United States will continue to play in this regard under president-elect Obama's leadership," the NATO chief said in a statement.

Brussels  - The French presidency of the European Union agreed Tuesday to scale back its ambitious 11-point plan on reforming global capitalism amid concerns that calls for a "global economic government" would encroach on national sovereignties.

The French proposal is meant to kickstart discussions on a common EU position ahead of a global financial summit due to take place in Washington on November 15.

At a preparatory meeting in Brussels, French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde said fellow EU ministers had shown "massive support" for the presidency's document, which outlines a series of key changes to the way global capitalism should be run.