BRUSSELS, April 23 (Hina) - A debate on Croatia's avis will definitely be on the agenda of the Council of Ministers before the European Union's summit in June, but no formal discussion about that topic is expected at the next meeting
of the foreign ministers in Luxembourg on Monday, officials of the EU's Irish Presidency said on Friday.
BRUSSELS, April 23 (Hina) - A debate on Croatia's avis will definitely
be on the agenda of the Council of Ministers before the European
Union's summit in June, but no formal discussion about that topic is
expected at the next meeting of the foreign ministers in Luxembourg on
Monday, officials of the EU's Irish Presidency said on Friday.#L#
Croatia's avis will be on the agenda of the European Council in June
and at one of the next meetings of the Council of Ministers in May or
June, Ireland's Ambassador at the EU, Anne Anderson, said at a news
conference.
Before the avis is put on the agenda of the Council of Ministers, it
should be discussed by the Committee on the Western Balkans (COWEB)
and the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER).
COWEB is a task force of the Council of the European Union, which
consists of representatives from the member-countries' foreign
ministries. COWEB prepares conclusions for countries from the
Stabilisation and Association process.
COREPER consists of the member-countries' ambassadors to the EU and is
in charge of preparing meetings of the Council of Ministers.
The European Commission on Tuesday published a positive avis on
Croatia's candidacy for EU membership recommending that the European
Council start accession talks with Croatia. The avis was not put on
the agenda of COREPER which meets on Wednesdays due to lack of time.
(Hina) rml