Italy's notification of the SAA completes the ratification process in 15 "old" EU member-countries. The European Commission will propose to the Council to simplify and accelerate the process of ratification so as to avoid each of the ten new EU members, which joined the Union on May 1 this year, ratifying the agreement individually, sources close to the Commission said.
The Commission will propose to the Council to adopt a decision on "the enlarged EU adopting the SAA" between Croatia and the EU, the same source said. Should the Council adopt this decision, the SAA will go into force as soon as it is published in the EU's official gazette.
The Council of Ministers is most likely to discuss this proposal in November, the same source said.
The SAA was signed in Luxembourg on 29 October, 2001.