Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Marija Pejčinović Burić 26 June in Luxembourg attended sessions of the General Affairs and General Affairs (Art. 50) Councils.
The Council considered the European Commission’s enlargement package presented in April. Pejčinović Burić supported adopting the Council’s conclusions on enlargement and the Stabilisation and Association Process, underlining that Croatia supported enlargement and believed the way had been paved for Macedonia and Albania to prepare for entry talks.
The ministers discussed conclusions for a European Council session scheduled for 28 and 29 June on migration, security, defence, jobs, growth and competitiveness, innovation and digital matters, the 2021-2027 financial framework, and foreign relations.
Pejčinović Burić said Croatia advocated a strategic and integrated approach to migration management based on solidarity and responsibility. The backbone is such an approach is the establishment of an effective and sustainable European asylum system, effective control and protection of the EU’s external border, an effective policy of returning illegal migrants, and stronger cooperation with third countries, notably Southeast Europe.
During a discussion on the financial framework, Croatia underlined the importance of continuing to finance policies of priority importance for Croatia, such as the cohesion and common agricultural policies, as well as the importance of defining implementation rules to facilitate EU fund absorption.
The Council also adopted amendments to an annex to Regulation 2015/848 of the European Parliament and of the Council on insolvency proceedings. The annex mentions national procedures in insolvency cases, including Croatia’s extraordinary administration procedure in companies of strategic importance.
The adoption of the amendments makes Croatia’s law on extraordinary administration in companies of strategic importance part of the EU’s acquis and confirms its alignment with European insolvency law standards.
The GAC (Art. 50) meeting discussed the status of negotiations on the UK’s exit from the EU.