CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY
INTERGOVERNMENTAL CONFERENCE ON THE ACCESSION
OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA TO THE EUROPEAN UNION
Thirteenth meeting of the Conference at Ministerial
level,
Brussels, 30 June 2011
Statement by H. E. Mr. Gordan Jandroković,
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European
Integration,
Head of State Delegation of the Republic of Croatia
for Negotiations on the Accession to the European Union
Introduction
Minister Martonyi,
Commissioner Füle,
Distinguished representatives of the EU Member States and the European Commission,
It gives me enormous pleasure to be here today, at our last formal meeting of the Accession Conference. After almost six years of intense negotiations, today we are closing the last four negotiating chapters and thereby completing our long but ultimately rewarding journey. This is coming only some days after Croatia had celebrated the 20th anniversary of its independence, which gives this event an additional symbolic value.
First of all let me warmly thank all of you here. Without your continuous support and intensive work in the past few weeks and months we would not be sitting here at our last IGC meeting. My special thanks and gratitude goes to Minister Martonyi and the Hungarian Presidency, especially to Ambassador Péter Györkös, for their huge efforts in making this possible and for convening this meeting on the last day of their Presidency.
Equally so, and with particular magnitude, I thank the European Commission
and all their services, especially Commissioner Füle and the highly dedicated
team from DG Enlargement. This also goes to all the colleagues from the Commission
and EU Member States who had been wholeheartedly assisting Croatia from the
very start of its accession process, but have moved to other posts in the meantime
and are therefore not with us today.
But most of all, I would like to sincerely thank and congratulate the Croatian
Negotiating Team, headed by Ambassador Drobnjak, and the whole negotiating
structure, including many hard working people in various line ministries and
state administration bodies. Special thanks also to our Mission in Brussels,
headed by Ambassador Baričević.
Membership in the European Union has been Croatia's top priority goal for many
years. After years of intense and demanding preparations, we thank the European
Union for duly recognising and rewarding Croatia’s efforts and achievements
and making our long awaited goal a reality.
It was with great enthusiasm and ambition that Croatia had embarked on this
journey when applying for EU membership. Our road was not easy, with the rules
sometimes changing along the way, while the degree of difficulty in some areas
surpassed all expectations. But we never doubted that we would succeed.
Faced with the new and stricter methodology of negotiations, Croatia had to
invest immense efforts and resources to meet all the set benchmarks and obligations.
They were challenging, complex, time-consuming, and sometimes extremely politically
sensitive. A tremendous amount of work has been done in the process, not only
in terms of legislative alignment with the acquis and administrative
capacity building. We have been witnessing concrete improvements on the ground,
to the benefit of our citizens – the judiciary being reformed and becoming
more effective, the rule of law and protection of fundamental rights better
guaranteed and fully accessible, corruption fought on all levels with zero
tolerance, the environment for business and economic operators significantly
improved under more transparent rules, financial markets more open and consumers
better protected, to name just a few.
The continuity of our EU-related reforms throughout the years proves Croatia’s
readiness for EU membership. Croatia has seen itself being changed every day,
and irreversibly so. It has clearly demonstrated its determination and capability
of fulfilling all its commitments, overcoming various obstacles along the way
and becoming a credible EU member. The monitoring exercise and Croatia's overall
track-record in the closed chapters have already confirmed that. Rest assured
that this attitude will persist - with equally strong commitment of all political
stakeholders in Croatia and of our citizens in the years to come.
We take pride in the results we have achieved and I have no doubts that this
will take us to our final destination – Croatia’s accession as the 28th Member
State on 1 July 2013.
In these testing times for EU’s ideals and principles, Croatia will do its
utmost as a new Member State to make the EU project of peace, stability and
prosperity a continuous success. I can assure you that you will have a reliable
and true partner in Croatia - a country with rich cultural heritage and tradition,
immense natural beauties and resources, and values shared with other EU nations.
A country both maritime and continental, at the crossroads of the Danube basin
and the Mediterranean, with a specific understanding of its neighbourhood and
extensive regional co-operation. Our EU accession can certainly create a historical
momentum for the entire region and its European perspective.
Croatia welcomes last week’s European Council conclusions, confirming that
the negotiating phase of our accession process can now be considered completed.
In the same spirit, I invite you all to continue working towards the finalisation
and signature of the Accession Treaty before the end of this year so as to
allow our joint results in negotiations to be formally confirmed and ratified.
***
Agenda items 1, 2 and 3. - Adoption of the draft agenda and of the draft summary conclusions of the twelfth IGC meeting at Ministerial level and the thirteenth IGC meeting at Deputies level***
Agenda item 4. - Negotiations on Chapters 8, 13, 23, 33 and 35
Croatia welcomes the confirmation of provisional closure of Chapter 13 - Fisheries.
Croatia agrees with and welcomes the closure of the last four remaining chapters,
which all have important political and financial significance for Croatia’s
EU accession.
Chapter 8 - Competition Policy
As a result of significant achievements and the hard work invested in all
areas within the Competition Policy, Croatia welcomes the closure of Chapter
8.
Since the opening of this Chapter, Croatia has made continuous progress in
legislative alignment in the area of antitrust and merger control, as well
as State aid, which was additionally strengthened by notable results in the
enforcement record. Croatia particularly ensured the upgrading of its administrative
capacities to ensure proper and efficient system of implementation of the competition
rules, and will continue to do so in the future.
Special attention was given to steel and shipbuilding sectors, which required
an efficient cooperation between all stakeholders. Croatia has confirmed its
strong devotion to the restructuring of shipyards in difficulties, not only
in view of the social and economic impact of this sector, but taking also into
consideration Croatia’s long maritime and shipbuilding tradition. Therefore
full respect of all key conditions of the restructuring process will continue
to be ensured and supported at the highest level.
Chapter 23 – Judiciary and Fundamental Rights
Chapter 23 has become a core chapter for both Croatia's and future accession negotiations. We have invested immense efforts and resources to fulfil numerous opening and closing benchmarks and other related obligations. Thus the closure of this Chapter bears particular meaning. Not only because of the paramount importance of the efficient judiciary and fundamental rights protection at the EU level, but also because the reforms implemented represent one of the biggest gains of the accession negotiations for Croatian citizens which are visible in their everyday life.
Under Chapter 23 Croatia has implemented significant reforms in all relevant areas of the judicial system, which made our judiciary more independent, efficient, professional, impartial and in line with the highest European standards.
Croatia has built up a considerable track-record of impartial procedures in domestic war crime cases, and has appropriately addressed the issue of impunity.
Croatia co-operates fully with the ICTY and will continue to do so.
We have achieved considerable results in combating corruption. An efficient system of detecting, prosecuting and punishing the perpetrators of crimes of corruption has been established. In parallel to the building up of the repressive system, Croatia has also undertaken a number of reform measures for corruption prevention.
Throughout the years, Croatia has invested heavily in the refugee return process and in implementation of the housing programme for former tenancy rights holders. In the areas of human rights and national minorities’ protection, we are actively implementing the Constitutional Act on the Rights of National Minorities and the Anti-Discrimination Act, while special attention is given to better representation of national minorities in governmental and judicial bodies.
Chapter 33 – Financial and Budgetary Provisions
With regard to Chapter 33, Croatia has made significant progress in all areas under this Chapter by adopting relevant legislation and putting in place the required administrative infrastructure and procedures for managing the own resources system upon its accession.
In order to prepare for full application of the acquis in this area, Croatia also remains committed to continue the alignment in other related chapters, in particular customs union, taxation, statistics and financial control. This includes the setting up of effective instruments to combat customs duty and VAT fraud so that the financial interests of the EU can be adequately protected.
Croatia will continue its preparations for the efficient participation in and usage of all funds and resources made available to Croatia under the financial package envisaged by the EU for Croatia's accession. In this regard, we particularly welcome that specific, temporary financial instruments (Schengen Facility, Transition Facility, Cash-flow Facility) will be made available to Croatia, facilitating our further preparations for the full application of the acquis and helping to improve our net budgetary position after accession.
Chapter 35 – Other Issues
Regarding Chapter 35, Croatia takes note of various arrangements and other elements covered by this Chapter, as set out in the respective EU Common Positions, and agrees with the closure of the Chapter.
Croatia particularly welcomes the agreed establishment of a special regime for the goods crossing the Neum corridor, allowing for easier customs procedures which are necessary under the specific geographical circumstances.
Croatia also welcomes the agreement reached with the EU concerning a possible one-off transfer of Assigned Amount Units issued under the Kyoto Protocol to Croatia, which enables Croatia to withdraw its appeal before the relevant UNFCCC/Kyoto Protocol bodies. On this basis, the Croatian Government has already reached the decision to proceed with the necessary steps to withdraw its appeal before the start of the next UNFCCC Conference in Durban.
Croatia takes note of the arrangement envisaging its accession to and participation in the European Development Fund (EDF) upon the entry into force of the new Multiannual Financial Framework of Co-operation. In this regard, Croatia will start contributing to the EDF from the 1 January of the second calendar year following the date of its accession.
Croatia is particularly looking forward to its active observer status in the
Council and other bodies, as appropriate, in line with the arrangements for
the interim period. It also welcomes the establishment of an information and
consultation procedure as set out in the respective Exchange of Letters to
be attached to the Final Act.
***
Agenda item 5. – Other business
***
It has been an honour and privilege for me to be representing the Croatian
Government at our IGC meetings and I am proud that very soon Croatia will achieve
its main strategic objective –membership in the EU. Let me once again extend
my warm thanks and appreciation to all of you here today, and to other colleagues
from all EU institutions, bodies and Member States for their continuous support
and assistance throughout the past years.
Although our negotiations are now concluded, Croatia's reforms and our joint
work will continue. We will keep investing our maximum efforts and resources
in order to continue building up on our achievements and track-records. I also
hope to see our Accession Treaty finalised in the following months in order
to enable its signature by the end of this year.
Thank you.