Brussels, 12/06/2008 (Agence Europe) - Accession negotiations with Turkey are moving forward, even if progress is only by one drop at a time. Next Tuesday (17 June) at a ministerial meeting in Luxembourg, which the Turkish foreign affairs minister and chief negotiator, Ali Babacan, will attend, talks will be opened on two new chapters - company law and intellectual property rights. In total, Turkey will have subsequently opened 8 of the 35 chapters since launching negotiations in October 2005, of which only one (science and research) has been provisionally closed.
Croatia will also continue accession negotiations on 17 June, with the probable opening up of two new chapters. Although the “social policy and employment” chapter has been concluded, the one on the “free movement of workers” was still the subject of discussion between member states on Thursday afternoon. So far, Croatia has opened 18 of 35 chapters, two of which (science and research, education/culture) have already been provisionally closed. (H.B./transl.rh)