CONFERENCE ON ACCESSION TO EU HELD IN OPATIJA

OPATIJA, May 9 (Hina) - The Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU has provided support and stimulation to the liberalisation of the Croatian economy and adjustment of laws in the realm of economy to the EU's legislation, Croatian European Integration Minister Neven Mimica said at an international conference on the EU's economy system and Croatia's accession in Opatija Friday. #L# Around 100 experts from Europe, the United States and Croatia gathered at the two-day conference organised by Rijeka's Faculty of Economics in cooperation with Trieste's and Ljubjana's faculties of economics, as well as "Eurpoacentrum", Antwerpen's "Jean Monet" university and with the support of the European Commission and Croatia's European integration and science and technology ministries. Minister Mimica stressed that the liberalisation of the Croatian market would attract foreign investors because they would be able to export Croatian-made products into EU countries. Also, even before the country enters the EU, an atmosphere will be created in which foreign investors will want and know how to work, he added. We have met about 60% of formal contractual commitments from the SAA, Mimica said, adding that by 2006, Croatia would be able to meet conditions for entry into the EU. Joining the European monetary union will be possible in three to four years after Croatia becomes a member of the EU, Mimica said. A member of the European Commission in charge of the economy and finances, Juergen Kroeger, said that before entering the EU, all candidates should exercise caution and consider the experience of countries admitted in the EU without having fully prepared economic frameworks. Speaking about experiences in the EU's monetary policy, he said that all the problems that had occurred after the introduction of the euro had not yet been removed, but were fewer than expected. (hina) lml sb