Brussels, 07/02/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 6 February, COREPER approved the new accession partnership with Croatia, which will be formally adopted by the Council on 12 February. The text, which has just been revised for the second time (after 2004 and 2006) sets the priorities for Croatia if it wishes to see a successful conclusion to its accession preparations. Unlike Turkey, whose new accession partnership was adopted last week (see EUROPE 9593), the revised text for Croatia makes no distinction between medium- and long-term objectives, given the shorter timescale deriving from Croatia's target of EU membership before the end of the decade.
Member states, however, have identified “key priorities” to be implemented immediately by Zagreb: - ensure proper implementation of all commitments undertaken in the stabilisation and association agreement (SAA); - update and implement the strategy and action plan for judicial reform; - rapidly adopt and implement a strategic framework for public administration; - update and accelerate implementation of the anti-corruption programme and related action plans (Zagreb must now make more pro-active efforts to prevent, detect, and effectively prosecute corruption, especially at high level); - implement the Constitutional Law on National Minorities (in particular, to guarantee proportional representation of minorities in employment) and tackle discrimination in the public sector; - complete the process of refugee return, definitively settle all cases of housing care for former occupancy/tenancy rights holders, and complete reconstruction and repossession of property and re-open the possibility of requests for citizenship; - pursue efforts to bring reconciliation among citizens in the region; - enhance efforts to find definitive solutions to pending bilateral problems, with Slovenia, Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and resolve the Ecological and Fisheries Protection Zone issue with Italy and Slovenia; - maintain full cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY); - improve the business environment and economic growth potential, in particular by reducing subsidies, restructuring large loss-making companies and increasing the efficiency of public spending.
Among other priorities contained in the accession partnership are: - the removal of all possible discrimination against migrant workers and EU nationals (free movement of workers); - an end to all restrictions on the acquisition of real property by EU citizens, in line with the SAA (free movement of capital; - bringing legislation on state aid into line with EU rules (competition policy); - bringing rules on the internal gas and electricity market, security of energy supply and nuclear safety into line with the body of EU law. (H.B.)