A joint statement issued after the meeting said that the meeting was held at a time when Croatia was well along in accession talks, notably after the completion of the first stage of the accession process.
"Since the first meeting of the Committee in Brussels on July 14, 2005, Croatia has made significant achievements, which has brought it closer to the European Union," the statement said.
The meeting was chaired by the State Secretary of the Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Marija Pejcinovic. The European Commission's delegation was headed by the Director-General for Enlargement, Pierre Mirel.
The Committee welcomed Croatia's full cooperation with the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague, stressing the need for further improvement in the prosecution of war crimes in Croatia, and considered progress in the return of refugees to their prewar homes, minority rights and regional cooperation.
Also under discussion were recent economic trends and structural reforms. As regards progress in the implementation of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement and adjustment to the acquis communautaire, the Committee stressed the need for further progress in connection with competition (government subsidies) and public procurement.
In conclusion, the Committee said that Croatia should continue on its path to EU membership and that it should continue implementing comprehensive reforms, particularly those relating to compliance with the commitments arising from the Stabilisation and Association Agreement and with the priorities of the Accession Partnership.
The main purpose of the Stabilisation and Association Committee is to evaluate the implementation of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, which took effect on February 1, 2005.