28/02/2011

Croatia: 28th EU Member State
A new model for enlargement

By Lada Jurica, Croatian Press Adviser

Fact box
Population:	4.44 million
Size:	56,542 sq km
GDP	$78.5 billion
GDP per capita:	$17.7
Religions:	Catholic 87.83 %, Orthodox 4.42 %, others 4.95%
Capital:	Zagreb

After the historic enlargement of 2004 and its symbolic narrative of reunification of a divided continent, Croatia is the next country on the verge of EU membership and the first country to begin a new enlargement round. The EPP Group has been a strong supporter of Croatian accession and is meeting in Zagreb on 3-4 March 2011 to send a strong message that Croatian efforts need to be rewarded.

Coming full circle: a long road

Ever since proclaiming independence from former Yugoslavia in 1991, EU accession has been a strategic foreign policy goal for Croatia. The 1991-1995 war with Serbia left Croatia with considerable economic and human damage. Building up a young state went hand-in-hand with post-war reconstruction. The path towards the EU has been important in helping Croatia process the consequences of war.

In 2001, Croatia's European integration gained momentum with the signing of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement. Following a number of reforms, the country has advanced further on its European integration process and has been an EU candidate country since June 2004. In 2008, Croatia joined NATO.

Croatia is today inches away from EU membership. The conclusion of negotiations on the Chapter on Institutions recently had high symbolic importance: it guaranteed Croatia would have 12 MEPs in this composition of the European Parliament, one European Commissioner and that the Croatian language would be an official language of the European Union.

For Croatia, entry into the European Union is a question of coming full circle - from independence and the fight for international recognition, to transition and state building, and finally to full recognition as an equal partner within a political and economic Union.

A new model of enlargement

With the reunification argument fading and the general mood surrounding enlargement becoming more conflicting, Croatia has found itself negotiating on EU membership in a new political context.

The policy of enlargement, the EU's most successful policy, needed to be placed on new footing. In order for it to remain an important tool for democratisation, its credibility needed to be reinforced through strict compliance with EU membership criteria.

A new political model meant enlargement was no longer a shared responsibility as it had been in 2004. Now the 'burden of proof' had shifted squarely onto the candidate country and Croatia was regarded as the first to set an example for others to follow. A timely Croatian accession would play a crucial role for EU aspirations in other countries in the region.

A new technical model meant that compliance with criteria was ensured through a new system of benchmarking, measures a country had to fulfil in order to advance a step in the negotiating process. Benchmarking ensures the country is fully prepared once it enters the EU while making negotiations a slightly more complex and time-consuming process.

On the verge of membership

Today, at the beginning of 2011, Croatia is running the last metres of its EU membership bid. The negotiating tally stands at 28 out of 35 chapters provisionally closed.

The last progress report issued by the European Commission was the most positive report so far and commended Croatia for the substantial progress achieved in meeting the benchmarks necessary for the conclusion of accession negotiations. Although the Commission had abandoned the policy of giving dates, the progress report leaves the door open for the end of Croatia's accession negotiations in the first half of 2011.

In its vote of 16 February 2011, the European Parliament explicitly supported the goal of the Croatian government and the intention expressed by the Hungarian EU Presidency to swiftly conclude the Croatian negotiating process in June this year.

The main challenges ahead are notably demonstrating a convincing track record in judicial reform and the fight against corruption, as well as restructuring of Croatia's shipyards in order to comply with EU state aid rules.

EPP Group Bureau meets in Zagreb

The EPP Group Bureau is meeting in Zagreb on 3-4 March 2011 for a conference entitled "Croatia: a new model for enlargement". The conference comes at a crucial moment for the approaching conclusion of Croatia's EU accession negotiations.

Only one week later, on 11 March, the European Commission will release an interim report on Chapter 23, Judiciary and Fundamental Rights, which will evaluate Croatia's progress in this Chapter and give a clear indication when Croatia could expect to conclude negotiations. The EPP Group strongly supports June 2011 as the target date.

Discussions on Chapter 23 will be a major focus of the meeting, with Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship, Viviane Reding, as key speaker.

The economic benefits of EU membership will also be discussed, including the example of Poland's successful use of EU structural funds.

The EPP Group will also look into the implications that Croatian accession will have for the enlargement prospects of its neighbouring countries. EPP Foreign and EU Ministers from the region, and EU representatives in the region are invited.