LUXEMBOURG, April 14 (Hina) - The European Commission can start defining its opinion about Croatia's application for membership in the European Union, the foreign ministers of EU member-countries decided in Luxembourg on
Monday.
LUXEMBOURG, April 14 (Hina) - The European Commission can start
defining its opinion about Croatia's application for membership in
the European Union, the foreign ministers of EU member-countries
decided in Luxembourg on Monday. #L#
The Council of Ministers gave the mandate to the European
Commission to start drafting a document with its stand on Croatia's
ability to become an EU candidate. The Commission usually needs a
year for this task, after which it informs the Council of Ministers
of its decision. The Council then makes a decision on whether to
grant a country candidate status and sets a date for the start of
negotiations on full membership.
Croatia could expect to receive very soon a comprehensive
questionnaire from the EC, containing some 4,000 questions which
are to be answered. Based on a country's answers and other sources,
the EC gives its opinion and recommendations on its ability to
become a candidate for EU membership.
Croatia's membership application, which Prime Minister Ivica Racan
handed to the EU's Greek Presidency in Athens on February 21, has
found its way into the Council of Minister's agenda in less than two
months.
(hina) rml