ZAGREB, May 19 (Hina) - The European Commission will take a year to evaluate Croatia's application for EU membership, the first draft could be made in January 2004 and published in April, Foreign Minister Tonino Picula said in
parliament on Monday.
ZAGREB, May 19 (Hina) - The European Commission will take a year to
evaluate Croatia's application for EU membership, the first draft
could be made in January 2004 and published in April, Foreign
Minister Tonino Picula said in parliament on Monday. #L#
"It is expected the Commission's avis on our country's application
for EU membership will take about a year. The Commission might
prepare the first draft of its opinions during January 2004 and
release it in April," Picula said in his address at a foreign
affairs committee session which tackled the application.
The EU is currently preparing a questionnaire with almost 4,000
inquiries, which Croatia will likely receive in mid-June, for the
purpose of drawing up the avis, said Picula.
Upon preparing the opinions and forwarding them to the Council of
Ministers, the latter usually thoroughly debates the avis and
prepares a report which serves as the basis for the European Council
decision on granting a country applicant status.
"Key for our country is the continued and intensive lobbying so that
at the European Council meeting in June 2004, at the end of
Ireland's presidency of the European Union, our country may be
declared a candidate and the date set for the start of membership
negotiations. I believe this could happen during the autumn of
2004," Picula said.
To date, Croatia's Stabilisation and Association Agreement with
the Union has been ratified by Austria, Ireland, Denmark, and
Germany. Spain, France, and Sweden have not okayed it yet, Greece
and Portugal should do so during the summer, Belgium, Luxembourg,
Italy, and Finland by the end of the year.
"We shall indeed do everything to have Britain and the Netherlands
lift the suspension on the ratification process," said Picula.
At the Salonika June 21 EU summit, Croatia expects support for
expediting the making of the avis.
"In the past Croatia has constantly, not just periodically, been
faced with major foreign affairs challenges, and I think we have
passed every test. This is primarily evidenced by Croatia's
significantly improved, permanently improved international
status. We have, however, committed to very serious things and I
genuinely expect that in the coming period we shall rise to our
ambitions," the foreign minister concluded.
(hina) ha sb