PM Sanader with EU Commision President José Manuel Barroso
Speaking points of Commission President José Manuel Barroso during the press point, following his meeting with Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader
"During our friendly and constructive meeting, I discussed with Prime Minister Sanader the state of play in the accession negotiations with Croatia. For some time now Commissioner Rehn and I have felt that the Commission should be able to present an indicative timetable, for the technical conclusion of the accession negotiations with Croatia. This autumn will mark the third anniversary of the start of the negotiations. In the meantime Croatia has made good progress overall and this gives me confidence that Croatia is in a position to make 2008 a decisive year of progress. I am very happy with the assurances which Prime Minister Sanader gave me concerning the reforms and conditions which need to be met."
PM Sanader with EU Commision President José Manuel Barroso
Speaking points of Commission President José Manuel Barroso during the press point, following his meeting with Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader
"During our friendly and constructive meeting, I discussed with Prime Minister Sanader the state of play in the accession negotiations with Croatia. For some time now Commissioner Rehn and I have felt that the Commission should be able to present an indicative timetable, for the technical conclusion of the accession negotiations with Croatia. This autumn will mark the third anniversary of the start of the negotiations. In the meantime Croatia has made good progress overall and this gives me confidence that Croatia is in a position to make 2008 a decisive year of progress. I am very happy with the assurances which Prime Minister Sanader gave me concerning the reforms and conditions which need to be met."
"I therefore confirm that in this autumn's Enlargement package, the Commission will present an indicative timetable for the technical conclusion of the negotiations in 2009, provided a number of conditions are met by Croatia:
"The first condition that needs to be fulfilled for us to present the conditional road map, relates to Croatia meeting all opening benchmarks by June 2008.
"Secondly, Croatia must comply with all legal obligations under the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) and it must continue to comply with the general conditionalities of the Stabilisation and Association Process.
"Furthermore, Croatia urgently needs to improve its management of EU financial assistance under the PHARE and IPA programmes.
"And last, but not least, Croatia must suspend of all aspects of the Ecological and Fisheries Protection Zone, with respect to EU vessels. I consider this now done.
"Let me add two more aspects related to fisheries. I understand Croatia has a concern for a special area in the middle of the Adriatic (Jabuka Pomo Pit) which is an important spawning ground. I assured the Prime Minister that the Commission is strongly in favour of sustainable management of fisheries stocks. Therefore Commissioner Borg is ready to work on a proposal to establish a Fisheries Protection Area in the Adriatic, such as foreseen under the new Mediterranean Regulation.
"The Commission will also continue to support Croatia's efforts in making the fisheries sector more competitive. Our financial allocations in this sector under Phare and IPA, amounts to some €12 million (until the end of 2009).
"In conclusion, I have every confidence that Croatia will be able to meet the conditions, every confidence that the Commission will therefore be able to set out such a conditional roadmap in the autumn, and every confidence that it should be possible to conclude the technical negotiations next year, preferably by the end of the mandate of the Commission."
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