Minister Gordan Jandroković chaired 6th meeting of EU-Croatia Stabilisation and Association Council

The EU delegation, which included Štefan Füle, the European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy, was led by Angel Lossada, the Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Spain, which is currently presiding over the EU

The EU delegation, which included Štefan Füle, the European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy, was led by Angel Lossada, the Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Spain, which is currently presiding over the EU.

In his opening remarks, Minister Jandroković said Croatia pays special attention to the meetings of the SA Council, as they facilitate a quality and constructive dialogue with the EU members and the European Commission. Reviewing the last year’s achievements in the EU-Croatia relations, since April 2009 and the 5th meeting of the SA Council, Minister Jandroković pointed out that Croatia had made visible progress in numerous areas and credibly met its obligations stemming from the accession negotiations and the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, and has thus entered the final phase of the negotiations

Minister Jandroković recalled the agreement with Slovenia on the ways to resolve the border issue, as well as the open-closed chapters ratio, with an emphasis on the progress in chapters Judiciary and Fundamental Rights, and Competition Policy. This has created the necessary preconditions for closing the negotiations by the end of this year, also evidenced by the founding of the Working Group of the Council of the European Union for the drafting of Croatia’s accession treaty and adoption of the financial package for accession.

Minister Jandroković also informed the European partners about the activities Croatia is undertaking to meet the political membership criteria. Thus he reported on the judicial reform, the state administration reform (to which special attention is being paid), the legislative and organizational mechanisms for combating corruption, the fight against organized crime, cooperation with the ICTY and the activities concerning the prosecution of war crimes. He also talked about the activities directed at the return of refugees and displaced persons, housing of former holders of tenancy rights, property return, protection of national minority rights and human rights in general.

In regard to the economic criteria and criteria concerning the harmonization with the acquis, Minister Jandroković outlined the measures the Croatian Government has carried out in 2009 to counter the consequences of the global economic crisis, and which are still being carried out and updated today. At the same time, Croatia continues to implement the comprehensive reforms directed at fulfilling the EU membership criteria.

The meeting also discussed the bilateral relations between Croatia and the EU within the Stabilisation ad Association Agreement. Minister Jandroković pointed out the main aspects such as the market competition, shipbuilding sector, free movement of capital and financial cooperation, where Croatia has founded the Commission for Coordinating the Preparations for Using the EU Funds.

The joint press release from the meeting can be found at: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/er/113503.pdf

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