The document was signed by the Commissioner Vladimir Spigla who arrived in Zagreb for a two-day official visit and by Croatia's Health and Social Welfare Minister Neven Ljubicic in the Croatian capital.
The Memorandum, that is a result of 18 months of cooperation between the Croatian Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the Directorate General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities of the European Commission, "identifies the main challenges and policy measures that will help Croatia in combating poverty and social exclusion", the EC Delegation stated on its website.
This is an important step on the road towards Croatia's accession in the European Union, as the EU deems social policy very important, the EC official said after the ceremony of the signing.
Commissioner Spidla, who arrived for his first official visit to Croatia, said the preparation of the memorandum had been through and efficient and that a series of talks had been held with social partners and civil society associations in that period.
However, the signature to this memorandum does not mean an end of the intensive cooperation. The document is a statement about the willingness of the Croatian Government and the EC to take measures envisaged by the memorandum, Spidla said.
Croatian Deputy Prime Minister Jadranka Kosoro told reporters that the Croatian government was satisfied with the signing of the memorandum which stipulates measures to be taken and also gives a review of what has so far been done in the field of social inclusion.
According to Kosor, the memorandum envisages higher employment rates, the improvement in health care and education, the promotion of gender equality and the strengthening of social partnership.
During his stay in Zagreb, Spidla will be received by top Croatian officials, including President Stjepan Mesic and Prime Minister Ivo Sanader.