01/07/2013 (Agence Europe) - Croatia becomes an EIB shareholder. Croatia joined the European Union today (1 July 2013, see related article) and has therefore become a shareholder of the European Central Bank (EIB), which has been providing loans to the country for more than twelve years. In addition, Croatia is the first country to have benefitted from the JASPERS initiative before it became a member of the EU. JASPERS helps countries to prepare projects for EU grant financing. (OL/transl.fl)