BRIEF NEWS BULLETIN IN ENGLISH NO. 4923

HR-Politika BRIEF NEWS BULLETIN IN ENGLISH NO. 4923 HINA Zagreb 14 April 2003EU COUNCIL ENTRUSTS COMMISSION WITH DEFINING OPINION ON CROATIALUXEMBOURG, April 14 (Hina) - The European Union's Council of Ministers entrusted the European Commission at a session in Luxembourg on Monday with defining its opinion on Croatia's application for membership in the European Union (the so-called avis). The Council decided to apply the procedure as envisaged by Paragraph 49 of the Agreement on the European Union. In keeping with the paragraph, the Commission was requested to submit to the Council its opinion on the application, the foreign ministers of EU member-countries said in conclusions adopted at a regular monthly session. The conclusion on Croatia was adopted without a debate. Croatia submitted its application for EU membership to the EU's Greek Presidency in Athens on February 21. "This is an exceptionally important political decision because it recognises and confirms Croatia's European pro