Serbia won on Wednesday a first battle in its bid to join the European Union, when the EU executive recommended granting the Balkans nation candidate status.

Serbia on Wednesday won a first battle in its bid to join the European Union, when the EU executive recommended granting the Balkans nation candidate status.

If approved by EU leaders, the proposal by EU enlargement commissioner Stefan Fuele will be a key first step towards joining the EU club of 27 nations, which this year agreed to enlarge to 28 with Croatia, due to join in 2013.

In its yearly report on the progress made by candidates for entry into the club, the European Commission said "Serbia is ready to become a candidate country" but added that "the country will be ready to start accession negotiations as soon as further good progress is made."

It notably called for progress in talks with Kosovo, which began last March but are currently suspended due to trouble on the border of northern Kosovo.