Brussels, 03/01/2008 (Agence Europe) - Following the extension of its Ecological and Fisheries Protection Zone (EFPZ) to all EU member states, Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn has warned Croatia about the effect of this decision on the pursuit of its accession negotiations. “To avoid negative consequences on the process of Croatia's accession to the EU, it is essential that a solution be found as soon as the new government has been formed in Croatia,” said a Commission spokeswoman on 3 January, quoting from a statement by Rehn on 30 December. “Accession negotiations with Croatia are due to enter a decisive phase in 2008, on condition that this problem is successfully resolved,” Rehn said in his statement. The decision to extend the EFPZ to all EU countries “by 1 January 2008 at the latest” was taken by the Croatian parliament in December 2006. Challenging the decision, the General Affairs Council of 10 December 2007 called on Zagreb to abide by the arrangement of June 2004, under the terms of which the zone could not be extended to all 27 EU members until a mutually acceptable solution was found. The EU is now hoping that the new Croatian parliament, which has yet to meet following the recent general election, will overturn the decision. “We are prepared to await the formation of the parliament and give Croatia a second chance,” said new EU Council President and Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel. (H.B.)