- Published: 08.11.2005.
Assistant Minister Davor Čilić and Dutch Ambassador to Croatia Lionel Veer presented Dutch bilateral pre-accession assistance programs to Croatia
Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Davor Čilić, in charge of co-ordinating the assistance programs and co-operation with the EU, and the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Croatia, Lionel Veer, presented on Tuesday, 8 November 2005 in Zagreb, at the MFAEI, the bilateral pre-accession programs that the Kingdom of the Netherlands is offering Croatia
Ambassador Veer reviewed the existing and presented the perspectives for future co-operation, and Deputy Director of the EDV International Business and Co-operation Agency – implementation agency of the Dutch Ministry of Economy – Chris Baare, explained the competition procedure and methodology in applying for the Dutch pre-accession assistance programs.
The Kingdom of the Netherlands is one of Croatia’s most important partners when it comes to financial and technical assistance in preparing for a full EU membership. Since 2001, the bilateral co-operation has been intensifying through the Dutch Government’s new pre-accession assistance programs. Croatian state administration bodies have three such programs at their disposal – Matra, Matra-flex and Matra PSO* – for the purposes of offering technical assistance in fulfilling the criteria for a full EU membership regarding the adoption and implementation of the acquis communitaire and the strengthening of administrative capabilities.
In 2005, Croatia was allocated through Matra and Matra PSO 1.75 mil. Euros for various projects.
Ivana Crnić
Spokesperson
* Matra PSO (Matra Programma Samenwerking Oost-Europa) – Matra Program for Co-operation with Central and Eastern European Countries