Accession of Croatia to the European Union

Croatian EU accession bid EU member state average Croatia PPP GDP ($M) 552,780 82.272 Area (km2) 165,048 56,542 Population 18,583,598 4,453,500 Status Negotiations completed Opened chapters: 33[1] Closed chapters: 33[2] Website eu-pregovori.hr

Croatia applied for European Union membership in 2003, and the European Commission recommended making it an official candidate in early 2004. Candidate country status was granted to Croatia by the European Council in mid-2004. The entry negotiations, while originally set for March 2005, began in October that year together with the screening process.

The accession process of Croatia was derailed by the insistence of Slovenia that the two countries' border issues be dealt with prior to Croatia's accession into the EU.

Croatia finished accession negotiations on 30 June 2011.^[2] Signing of the Accession treaty and Croatian referendum are both expected to take place in the second half of 2011. The ratification process, by the Parliaments of all 27 EU member states, is expected to be concluded by the end of June 2013. Therefore, entry into force and accession of Croatia to the EU is expected to take place on 1 July 2013.^[3]

Croatian public opinion has been generally supportive of the EU accession process. Spikes in Euroscepticism have occasionally happened, for example in April 2011 due to the association of the Hague tribunal with the EU.

Issues of dispute

The flag of Croatia and the European flag, on the building of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European integration, in Zagreb

Croatia

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Croatia

Constitution Constitution Legislative Sabor Speaker Luka Bebić Assembly Opposition Zoran Milanović Judiciary Supreme Court Constitutional Court Executive President (List) Ivo Josipović Government (List) Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor Cabinet Political parties Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) Social Democratic Party (SDP) Croatian People's Party - Liberal Democrats (HNS-LD) Croatian Peasant Party (HSS) Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS) Croatian Democratic Alliance of Slavonia and Baranja (HDSSB) Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) Croatian Party of Pensioners (HSU) Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) Elections Presidential: 2009–2010 Parliamentary: 2007, 2011 Local: 2009 Divisions Counties (Županija) Foreign relations EU accession

Other countries · Atlas Politics portal view · talk · edit

ICTY cooperation

Croatia has had to extradite several of its citizens to the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), a United Nations body, an issue that was often contentious in domestic politics.

Croatia's relations with the court had continuously been cited by the EU officials as something that required further improvement. Ratification of the EU Stabilisation and Association Agreement with Croatia had been stalled because of this.

The European Council, after its summit of 20 December 2004, set the following 17 March as the date to start entry negotiations, provided that Croatia continued to cooperate fully with the ICTY. On 16 March 2005 – the day before talks were to begin – the EU postponed the commencement of negotiations, because the ICTY prosecution assessed the Croatian efforts to capture the fugitive general Ante Gotovina (indicted by the ICTY for war crimes and crimes against humanity, but at large since 2001) as neither timely nor sufficient.

On 7 December 2005 Spanish Police finally arrested Ante Gotovina with the help of the Spanish and Croatian government on the Spanish island of Tenerife, located in the Canary Islands. He was brought to The Hague to be tried for war crimes. With the arrest of Ante Gotovina this issue seems to be now resolved, and entry negotiations have begun anew, after the certification of ICTY chief prosecutor Carla Del Ponte that Croatia now fully cooperates with the ICTY.

In April 2011, Croatian generals Gotovina and Markač were given extended prison sentences at the ICTY, which was widely perceived as unjust in the Croatian public. Because of a perceived association of the ICTY (a United Nations body) with the European Union, this caused an increase in opposition to the accession.

Border disagreements

Main article: Croatia–Slovenia border disputes

Croatia must also contend with long-standing border issues with Slovenia. Good trade relations have precluded this up to December 2008 when Slovenia's blockade of Croatia's EU accession stalled the negotiating process for 10 months. In September 2009, it was announced that Slovenia would remove restraints on Croatia's negotiations with the EU without prejudice to the international mediation on the border dispute.^[4] However, as of April 2010, Slovenia is still blocking opening of Chapter 31 (Foreign, Security & Defence Policy). As of June 2010, Slovenia has voted to accept the ruling of international arbitrators on the dispute, removing this obstacle.^[5] Croatia has border disputes with Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Montenegro, but these countries are not European Union members and cannot directly block the accession process. In December 2008 Croatia and Montenegro agreed that the outstanding sea border issue between the two countries should be settled before an international court whose decision would be accepted in advance by the parliaments of the two countries.^[6]

Land ownership

See also: Foreign relations of Croatia#Italy

Free acquisition of real estate by foreigners is a sensitive issue in Croatia. This matter particularly concerns Italians, especially in Istria. While it has strong cultural and historic ties with Italy, the events surrounding World War II, when Istria changed hands between the Kingdom of Italy and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, remain pertinent. Numerous Italian politicians expressed their discontent concerning the inability of Italians to purchase land in Croatia, considering it discriminatory treatment and stating that the issue should be resolved as soon as possible.

Croatia denied discrimination, say that Croatian legislation provided for the same treatment of all EU citizens concerning. In mid-2006, Croatia and Italy came to an agreement allowing Italian citizens to purchase land in Croatia and Croatian citizens to purchase land in Italy. Other EU members had to resolve similar issues before their accession to the EU. Examples of this include Slovenia, Slovakia, Poland, and especially Malta.

Negotiation progress

Croatia applied for EU membership in 2003, and the European Commission recommended making it an official candidate in early 2004. Candidate country status was granted to Croatia by the European Council (the EU's heads of state and/or government) in mid-2004 and a date for the beginning of entry negotiations, while originally set for early 2005, was postponed to October of the same year. Before starting negotiations with Croatia, the acquis was divided into 35 chapters, 4 more than the usual 31; the new chapters, previously part of the agricultural policy, are areas expected to be troublesome, as they were with the other applicants. Following the opening of accession negotiations on 3 October 2005, the process of screening 35 acquis chapters with Croatia was completed on 18 October 2006.^[7] Negotiation had been restrained for 10 months because of a border dispute with Slovenia, but in September 2009 it was announced that Slovenia would remove restraints on Croatia's negotiations with the EU without prejudice to the international mediation on the border dispute.^[8]

Acquis chapter	EC Assessment at Start	Current situation	Screening Started	Screening Completed	Chapter Frozen	Chapter Unfrozen	Chapter Opened	Chapter Closed
1. Free Movement of Goods	Considerable efforts needed	Generally aligned with the acquis	16.1.2006	24.2.2006	-	-	25.7.2008	19.4.2010
2. Freedom of Movement For Workers	Considerable efforts needed	Generally aligned with the acquis	19.7.2006	11.9.2006	-	-	17.6.2008	2.10.2009
3. Right of Establishment & Freedom To Provide Services	Considerable efforts needed	Generally aligned with the acquis	21.11.2005	20.12.2005	-	-	26.6.2007	21.12.2009
4. Free Movement of Capital	Further efforts needed	Generally aligned with the acquis	25.11.2005	22.12.2005	12.2008	10.2009	2.10.2009	5.11.2010
5. Public Procurement	Considerable efforts needed	Generally aligned with the acquis	7.11.2005	28.11.2005	-	-	19.12.2008	30.6.2010
6. Company Law	Further efforts needed	Generally aligned with the acquis	21.6.2006	20.7.2006	12.2008	10.2009	26.6.2007	2.10.2009
7. Intellectual Property Law	No major difficulties expected	Generally aligned with the acquis	6.2.2006	3.3.2006	-	-	29.3.2007	19.12.2008
8. Competition Policy	Considerable efforts needed	Generally aligned with the acquis	8.11.2005	2.12.2005	-	-	30.6.2010	30.06.2011
9. Financial Services	Considerable efforts needed	Generally aligned with the acquis	29.3.2006	3.5.2006	-	-	26.6.2007	27.11.2009
10. Information Society & Media	No major difficulties expected	Generally aligned with the acquis	12.6.2006	14.7.2006	-	-	26.7.2007	19.12.2008
11. Agriculture & Rural Development	Considerable efforts needed	Generally aligned with the acquis	5.12.2005	26.1.2006	12.2008	10.2009	2.10.2009	19.4.2011
12. Food Safety, Veterinary & Phytosanitary Policy	Considerable efforts needed	Generally aligned with the acquis	9.3.2006	28.4.2006	12.2008	10.2009	2.10.2009	27.7.2010
13. Fisheries	Further efforts needed	Generally aligned with the acquis	24.2.2006	31.3.2006	12.2008	2.2010	19.2.2010	6.6.2011
14. Transport Policy	Further efforts needed	Generally aligned with the acquis	26.6.2006	28.9.2006	-	-	21.4.2008	5.11.2010
15. Energy	Further efforts needed	Generally aligned with the acquis	15.5.2006	16.6.2006	-	-	21.4.2008	27.11.2009
16. Taxation	Considerable efforts needed	Generally aligned with the acquis	6.6.2006	12.7.2006	12.2008	10.2009	2.10.2009	30.6.2010
17. Economic & Monetary Policy	No major difficulties expected	Generally aligned with the acquis	16.2.2006	23.3.2006	-	-	21.12.2006	19.12.2008
18. Statistics	No major difficulties expected	Generally aligned with the acquis	19.6.2006	18.7.2006	12.2008	10.2009	26.6.2007	2.10.2009
19. Social Policy & Employment	Considerable efforts needed	Generally aligned with the acquis	8.2.2006	22.3.2006	-	-	17.6.2008	21.12.2009
20. Enterprise & Industrial Policy	No major difficulties expected	Generally aligned with the acquis	27.3.2006	5.5.2006	-	-	21.12.2006	25.7.2008
21. Trans-European Networks	No major difficulties expected	Generally aligned with the acquis	30.6.2006	29.9.2006	12.2008	10.2009	19.12.2007	2.10.2009
22. Regional Policy & Coordination of Structural Instruments	Considerable efforts needed	Generally aligned with the acquis	11.9.2006	10.10.2006	12.2008	10.2009	2.10.2009	19.4.2011
23. Judiciary & Fundamental Rights	Considerable efforts needed	Generally aligned with the acquis	6.9.2006	13.10.2006	-	-	30.6.2010	30.06.2011
24. Justice, Freedom & Security	Considerable efforts needed	Generally aligned with the acquis	23.1.2006	15.2.2006	12.2008	10.2009	2.10.2009	22.12.2010
25. Science & Research	No major difficulties expected	Generally aligned with the acquis	20.10.2005	14.11.2005	-	-	12.6.2006	12.6.2006
26. Education & Culture	No major difficulties expected	Generally aligned with the acquis	26.10.2005	16.11.2005	-	-	11.12.2006	11.12.2006
27. Environment	Totally incompatible with acquis	Generally aligned with the acquis	3.4.2006	2.6.2006	12.2008	2.2010	19.2.2010	22.12.2010
28. Consumer & Health Protection	Further efforts needed	Generally aligned with the acquis	8.6.2006	11.7.2006	-	-	12.10.2007	27.11.2009
29. Customs Union	Further efforts needed	Generally aligned with the acquis	31.1.2006	14.3.2006	12.2008	10.2009	21.12.2006	2.10.2009
30. External Relations	No major difficulties expected	Generally aligned with the acquis	10.7.2006	13.9.2006	-	-	12.10.2007	30.10.2008
31. Foreign, Security & Defence Policy	No major difficulties expected	Generally aligned with the acquis	14.9.2006	6.10.2006	12.2008	4.2010	30.6.2010	22.12.2010
32. Financial Control	Further efforts needed	Generally aligned with the acquis	18.5.2006	30.6.2006	-	-	26.6.2007	27.7.2010
33. Financial & Budgetary Provisions	No major difficulties expected	Generally aligned with the acquis	6.9.2006	4.10.2006	-	-	19.12.2007	30.06.2011
34. Institutions	Nothing to adopt	-	-	-	-	-	5.11.2010	5.11.2010
35. Other Issues	Nothing to adopt	-	-	-	-	-	30.06.2011	30.06.2011
Progress			33 out of 33	33 out of 33	13 out of 33	13 out of 13	35 out of 35[9]	35 out of 35[10]

^[11]

Timeline

Date	Event
4 March 1998	Ministry of European Integration formed within the Croatian Government.[12]
29 October 2001	Croatia signs the Stabilisation and Association Agreement.
21 February 2003	Formal application for membership submitted.
9 October 2003	Croatia submits answers to the Commission's Questionnaire.
20 April 2004	European Commission replies to the answers with a positive opinion (Avis).
18 June 2004	Croatia receives official candidate status.
20 December 2004	European Council sets the date for the entry negotiations to begin 17 March 2005.
1 February 2005	SAA comes into force.
16 March 2005	Negotiations postponed.
3 October 2005	The beginning of negotiations.
20 October 2005	Beginning of the screening process.
12 June 2006	1 chapter is opened & closed: Science & Research.
28 June 2006	2 chapters are opened: Competition Policy and Customs Union.
20 July 2006	1 chapter is opened: Social Policy & Employment.
11 December 2006	1 chapter is opened & closed: Education & Culture.
29 March 2007	1 chapter is opened: Intellectual Property Law.
26 June 2007	6 chapters are opened: Company Law, Financial Control, Financial Services, Information Society & Media, Right of Establishment & Freedom To Provide Services, and Statistics.
12 October 2007	2 chapters are opened: Consumer & Health Protection and External Relations.
20 December 2007	2 chapters are opened: Trans-European Networks and Financial & Budgetary Provisions.
21 April 2008	2 chapters are opened: Energy and Transport Policy.
17 June 2008	2 chapters are opened: Freedom of Movement For Workers and Social Policy & Employment.
25 July 2008	1 chapter is opened: Free Movement of Goods. 1 chapter is closed: Enterprise & Industrial Policy.
30 October 2008	1 chapter is closed: External Relations.
19 December 2008	1 chapter is opened: Public Procurement. 3 chapters are closed: Economic & Monetary Policy, Information Society & Media, and Intellectual Property Law.
23 April 2009	EU calls off talks with Croatia due to the latter having a border dispute with Slovenia over the Bay of Piran.
11 September 2009	Slovenia agrees on an immediate ending of its blockade of Croatia's EU accession & further negotiation of the Gulf of Piran border dispute between the 2 countries.
2 October 2009	Croatia closed 5 chapters & opened 6. Chapters that were closed: Company Law, Customs Union, Freedom of Movement of Workers, Statistics, and Trans-European Networks.
27 November 2009	3 chapters are closed: Consumer & Health Protection, Energy, and Financial Services.
21 December 2009	2 chapters are closed: Right of Establishment & Freedom To Provide Services and Social Policy & Employment.
19 February 2010	2 chapters are opened: Environment & Fisheries.
19 April 2010	1 chapter is closed: Free Movement of Goods.
30 June 2010	2 chapters are closed: Taxation and Public Procurement. 3 chapters are opened: Foreign, Security & Defence Policy, Judiciary & Fundamental Rights, and Competition Policy.
27 July 2010	2 chapters are closed: Food Safety, Veterinary & Phytosanitary Policy and Financial Control.
5 November 2010	3 chapters are closed: Institutions, Transport Policy and Free Movement of Capital.
22 December 2010	3 chapters are closed: 24. Justice, Freedom & Security, 27. Environment and 31. Foreign, Security & Defence Policy.
19 April 2011	2 chapters are closed: 11. Agriculture & Rural Development, 22. Regional Policy & Coordination of Structural Instruments [13]
6 June 2011	1 chapter is closed: 13. Fisheries
10 June 2011	Commission recommends closing of the negotiations and sets 1 July 2013 as target entry date
24 June 2011	European Council calls for finishing negotiations by the end of June and signing of the Treaty of Accession by the end of 2011
30 June 2011	End of accession negotiations. Final 4 chapters are closed: 8. Competition Policy, 23. Judiciary & Fundamental Rights, 33. Financial & Budgetary Provisions and 35. Other Issues.

Date of accession

Originally, Croatia had been aiming for a 2007 accession date—such an accomplishment would have broken Slovakia's record of 2.5 years of negotiations to complete the process. However with the closing of negotiations on 30 June 2011, accession is expected on 1 July 2013.^[14]

On 5 November 2008, the European Commission's annual progress report on Croatia's candidacy was published. Rehn stated that the country should complete accession negotiations by the end of 2009, with membership following by 2011 at the latest.^[15] In 2009 it was reported that Iceland may be fast-tracked into the European Union.^[16] Rehn said that "the EU prefers two countries joining at the same time rather than individually. If Iceland applies shortly and the negotiations are rapid, Croatia and Iceland could join the EU in parallel". The last non-acquis hurdle to membership, the maritime border dispute with Slovenia, was overcome in November 2009.

Croatia finished accession negotiations on 30 June 2011. Signing of the Accession treaty and Croatian referendum are both expected to take place in the second half of 2011. The ratification process, by the parliaments of all 27 EU member states, is expected to take around a year and a half if no controversy arises. Therefore, entry into force and accession of Croatia to the EU is expected by 1 July 2013.^[17]

Public opinion

See also: Next Croatian referendum#Opinion polling

Croatian public opinion is divided on EU accession. The opinion polling for the EU referendum has shown the population is mostly in favour of the accession, but often with only a relative majority. Public support has wavered from a high of 80% to lows of 26-38%.^[18] Among other factors, political analyst Višeslav Raos cited economic problems within the EU: "[Croatians] know that the European Union is not a remedy to all economic and social problems. So the EU itself is in a sort of crisis, and that reflects on Croatia's accession."^[18] The government announced an information campaign to reverse the drop in support.^[18]

An opinion poll conducted by Ipsos Puls and published in December 2010 indicated that 76 per cent of those polled would vote in a referendum on the subject and that 64 per cent of this group would vote "yes" to membership, 29 per cent would vote "no" and seven per cent were undecided.^[19]

See also

• Foreign relations of Croatia
• Enlargement of the European Union
• Next Croatian referendum

References

1. ^ "Negotiations Chapters". Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Croatia. http://www.delhrv.ec.europa.eu/?lang=en&content=67. Retrieved 2010-07-27. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "EU closes accession negotiations with Croatia". European Commission. 30 June 2011. http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/11/824&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en. Retrieved 30 June 2011. 
3. ^ "EU Summit: Accession Treaty with Croatia to be signed in 2011". www.eu2011.hu. 27 June 2011. http://www.eu2011.hu/news/eu-summit-accession-treaty-croatia-be-signed-2011. Retrieved 30 June 2011. 
4. ^ "Slovenia unblocks Croatian EU bid". BBC News. 11 September 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8250441.stm. Retrieved 2009-09-12. 
5. ^ "Slovenia backs Croatia border deal in referendum vote". BBC News. 6 June 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/10248037.stm. Retrieved 2010-06-07. 
6. ^ "Croatia, Montenegro agree sea border issue should be settled before international court". Government of Croatia. March 12, 2008. http://www.vlada.hr/en/naslovnica/novosti_i_najave/2008/ozujak/predsjednik_vlade_s_predsjednikom_vlade_crne_gore. Retrieved 2009-12-27. 
7. ^ "Ec.europa.eu". Ec.europa.eu. http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/candidate-countries/croatia/eu_croatia_relations_en.htm. Retrieved 7 January 2011. 
8. ^ "Slovenia unblocks Croatian EU bid". BBC News. 11 September 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8250441.stm. Retrieved 2009-09-12. 
9. ^ Excluding Chapters 34 (Institutions) and 35 (Other Issues) since these are not legislation chapters.
10. ^ In this case Chapters 34 and 35 are taken into account as also if they had not been provisionally opened, they have to be closed the same
11. ^ Prime Minister Kosor meets with EU delegation head Vandoren January 17 2011, Government of the Republic Croatia, Retrieved 24 January 2011
12. ^ "Vlada: 6 / predsjednik Vlade: Mr. sc. Zlatko Mateša". Hidran.hidra.hr. http://hidran.hidra.hr/hidrarad/rh/rh66.htm. Retrieved 2010-06-11. 
13. ^ "Hrvatska zatvara poglavlja Poljoprivreda i Regionalna politika". http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,6507243,00.html. 
14. ^ Statement by President Barroso on Croatia – Commission proposes to close the last "Chapters" in the accession talks European Commission, 10 June 2011
15. ^ Traynor, Ian (2008-11-05). "Croatia given timetable for EU entry". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/nov/05/croatia-eu. Retrieved 2008-11-05. 
16. ^ Traynor, Ian (2009-01-30). "Iceland to be fast-tracked into the EU". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/30/iceland-join-eu. Retrieved 2009-01-30. 
17. ^ Croatia: EU membership in 2014, at latest Balkans.com, 2011-01-31
18. ^ ^{a b c} "Croatians waver over European Union membership". BBC News. January 9, 2011. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12111568. Retrieved January 10, 2011. 
19. ^ "Croatian support for EU membership grows: poll". EUbusiness.com. 2 December 2010. http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/croatia-enlarge.7fc/. Retrieved 13 December 2010. 

Further reading

• Jović, Dejan (April 2006). "Croatia and the European Union: a long delayed journey". Journal of Southern Europe and the Balkans 8 (1): 85–103. doi:10.1080/14613190600595598. http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/routledg/cjsb/2006/00000008/00000001/art00006. 

External links

• Official website - Negotiations for the Accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union
• Official EU-website concerning enlargement
• BBC News: inside Europe: EU enlargement