The opening remarks were delivered by State Secretary for European Integration Andrej Plenković
The opening remarks were delivered by State Secretary for European Integration Andrej Plenković. He stressed the importance of the contribution of the European Economic and Social Committee to the EU-Croatia institutional relations, as well as the contribution of the representatives of employers, syndicates and civil society organizations to the EU-Croatia overall dialogue. Outlining the progress Croatia had achieved in civil society development in the past decade or so, also thanks to the activities of the Croatian Government’s Office for Cooperation with NGOs and the National Foundation for Civil Society Development, the state secretary talked about the implementation of the Communication Strategy on the eve of the closure of Croatia’s negotiation and the referendum campaign after the signing of the Accession Treaty.
Acting as the National Coordinator for the Danube Region Strategy, Plenković expressed satisfaction over EESC’s recent positive opinion regarding the Danube Region Strategy, which gave an important contribution to this initiative that is to connect 115 million Europeans from the Danube Delta and thus contribute to the transport, historical and political development of Europe.
Apart from co-chairs Lidija Pavić Rogošić and Christoph Lechner, a speech was also delivered by President of the National Committee for Monitoring the Accession Negotiations Vesna Pusić, who talked about the current status of Croatia’s negotiations and the tasks awaiting Croatia in terms of closing the negotiations by midyear. The priorities of Hungary’s EU presidency were outlined by Hungarian Deputy Chief of Mission to Croatia Zoltán József Magyar.
Taking part in the activities of the Joint Consultative Committee, among others, are MFAEI Director for Coordination and Monitoring the Adaptation to EU Legal System and Monitoring Implementation of Stabilization and Association Agreement Dubravka Vlašić-Pleše, representative of the EU Delegation to Croatia Paulo Berizzi, President of EESC External Relations Section Sandy Boyle, and representative of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development Žaklina Jurišić.
The Joint Consultative Committee is composed of the EESC representatives and representatives of Croatia’s employers, syndicates and civil society organizations. Its task is to set up additional institutional dialogue between the EU bodies and Croatia as a membership candidate, stimulate public discussion on the results of the EU membership, and contribute to the strengthening of civil society in general.
The meeting is to submit the report on the course of Croatia’s negotiations, discuss the communication strategy on Croatia’s EU accession, as well as present the rural development topics and implementation of the LEADER Approach.
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