- Published: 24.06.2025.
State Secretary Andreja Metelko-Zgombić attends GAC
The Council finalized preparations for the upcoming European Council meeting on 26 and 27 June, where leaders will discuss Ukraine, the Middle East, European defence and security, the EU’s role in the world, competitiveness, migration, Moldova, the Western Balkans, internal security, preparedness, and hybrid activities.
State Secretary Metelko-Zgombić emphasized the importance of continuing support for Ukraine across all dimensions, particularly military aid, and fully supported the 18th package of sanctions. She endorsed the outcomes of the 4th Ukraine-Southeast Europe Summit held on 11 June in Odesa, where all participating countries signed the final declaration except one (Serbia). Croatia's strong support for Ukraine continues with the organization of the upcoming ministerial meeting between Ukraine and Southeast Europe, scheduled for 12 July in Dubrovnik.
In the context of European defence and security, she stressed that the conclusions of the European Council should be complementary to the outcomes of the NATO Summit taking place on 24 and 25 June.
Regarding competitiveness, the State Secretary welcomed the recently adopted Single Market Strategy, which identified ten key barriers to its effective functioning, including territorial supply constraints—a concern raised by Croatia, which seeks a solution at the EU level.
On energy, she expressed support for the EU Action Plan for achieving full energy independence from Russia, highlighting that Croatia has invested significantly in expanding its oil and gas infrastructure. These investments are a clear sign of Croatia’s commitment to providing neighbouring countries with a reliable and viable alternative supply of non-Russian energy sources.
On migration, Metelko-Zgombić welcomed the draft European Council Conclusions for recognizing the importance of further aligning visa policies of neighbouring countries with the EU, thereby helping reduce illegal migration pressure on the EU’s external borders. She also welcomed the recently signed status agreement between Frontex and Bosnia and Herzegovina and urged the rapid deployment of Frontex personnel to the country.
She particularly emphasized the importance of the European leaders' discussion on the situation in the Western Balkans and the assessment of those countries’ progress on their European path. This is vital to encourage real commitment to EU membership through meeting set criteria and implementing reforms—especially in light of the recent visit to the region by European Council President António Costa. She also welcomed the inclusion of hybrid activities in the European Council Conclusions, pointing out the continued exposure of Western Balkan countries to destabilizing influences from both external and internal sources.
As part of the European Semester cycle, the Council approved and forwarded integrated country-specific recommendations to the European Council for endorsement.
In the context of the regular Annual Rule of Law Dialogue in the EU, the Council reviewed the European Commission’s findings from the July 2024 Rule of Law Report concerning Finland.
Under the "Other Business" section, Portugal presented information about the European University Institute, with the aim of further strengthening its role in supporting the European project. This unique European intergovernmental organization and higher education institution counts Croatia as a member as of this year.
Belgium and Luxembourg presented a joint non-paper on European minimum requirements for strengthening resilience across the Union, which Croatia had previously joined.
Finally, the upcoming Danish Presidency outlined its priorities for its term chairing the EU Council from 1 July to 31 December 2025, with a focus on security and competitiveness.