Brussels, 16/02/2006 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday, the president of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, welcomed the progress made by Croatia in its preparations for EU membership but also called on Croatian authorities not to underestimate the difficulties encountered in accession talks. “I appreciate your ambition to make rapid progress in the negotiations. But if you are to succeed, you should not underestimate the extent of the work that needs to be undertaken”, Mr Barroso warned on 15 February, taking the floor at the Croatian parliament in Zagreb. The Commission is fully aware of these difficulties and will continue to help Croatia to face up to them, assured Mr Barroso, who is currently on visit to the Western Balkans, together with Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn (EUROPE 9131).
Accession talks with Croatia were officially launched on 3 October 2005, together with those of Turkey. For now, talks with both countries are still at the preparatory and explanatory stage and the screening of Community legislation is underway for the first chapters. The first screening reports, concerning the science/research and education/culture chapters, have already been forwarded to the Council with a view to a decision by Member States on opening negotiations strictly speaking on these chapters (EUROPE 9126).