ZAGREB, Feb 24 (Hina) - Three fourths of the Agreement on Stabilisation and Association (SAA) between Croatia and the European Union have been agreed on and the remaining fourth concerns two areas - real estate ownership for foreign
nationals and the liberalisation of the Croatian market for EU products, Croatia's chief negotiator Neven Mimica told Hina on Friday. "Liberalising Croatia's market for EU imports and real estate ownership for foreign nationals are issues which will undergo serious negotiating," Mimica said. A draft SAA the European Commission compiled for Croatia requests that Croatia liberalise its real estate market for foreigners. "Basically, we can accept that as an idea, but we will request a transitional period to start fulfilling that obligation as well as a list of certain categories of real estate to which this obligation will not apply," Mimica said, adding he expected it would not be diffic
ZAGREB, Feb 24 (Hina) - Three fourths of the Agreement on
Stabilisation and Association (SAA) between Croatia and the
European Union have been agreed on and the remaining fourth
concerns two areas - real estate ownership for foreign nationals
and the liberalisation of the Croatian market for EU products,
Croatia's chief negotiator Neven Mimica told Hina on Friday.
"Liberalising Croatia's market for EU imports and real estate
ownership for foreign nationals are issues which will undergo
serious negotiating," Mimica said.
A draft SAA the European Commission compiled for Croatia requests
that Croatia liberalise its real estate market for foreigners.
"Basically, we can accept that as an idea, but we will request a
transitional period to start fulfilling that obligation as well as
a list of certain categories of real estate to which this obligation
will not apply," Mimica said, adding he expected it would not be
difficult to obtain EU's consent on this.
All countries which have so far negotiated associate membership,
except for Slovenia, did not have to negotiate about the
liberalisation of their real estate markets as this is an
obligation which is introduced during talks on full membership.
Even some countries-candidates for full membership have requested
a transitional period and the right to ban the sale of some
categories of real estate to foreign nationals.
As regards trade liberalisation, talks are currently underway on
the dynamics of opening the Croatian market for EU products, while
the export of Croatian goods to the EU market need not be discussed
since the EU has already completely opened its market for almost all
industrial and agricultural products from Croatia. For some
products, Croatia is ready to liberalise its market immediately,
while for the most sensitive goods it seeks gradual opening through
a transitional period of six years at the most.
Talks on the SAA between Croatia and the EU started formally in
November last year during the Zagreb Summit. The first plenary
round of talks was held in Brussels in December last year while the
first round of technical negotiations was held in January this
year.
The second plenary negotiating round will be held in Brussels next
week, on February 26 and 27. So far, nine out of ten chapters of the
SAA have been opened during the talks.
The SAA, a new generation of contractual relations intended for
five south-east European countries - Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina,
Yugoslavia, Macedonia and Albania - envisages the establishment of
a network of bilateral agreements on cooperation between the
countries. Also, countries included in the Process of
Stabilisation and Association can, too, sign such bilateral
agreements with countries which are negotiating full membership.
Every country which signs the SAA should within two years from the
signing conclude a bilateral agreement on cooperation exclusively
with those countries which have already signed the SAA. However,
the countries cannot hamper each other, i.e. if Croatia is ready to
sign such an agreement with some country, and the other side does
not want it, Croatia's readiness alone means it has fulfilled its
obligation, Mimica said.
Although the SAA envisages the adjustment to only one of the 31
chapters of acquis communautaire (European legal regulations),
Croatia does not intend to conduct the process of admission to the
EU in two stages.
"We don't intend to go in two stages, but immediately upon the
signing of the SAA start adjusting to all 31 chapters of acquis
communautaire," Mimica said.
The entire process should be completed by the end of 2006.
At its latest session, the Croatian government entrusted all
ministries with starting to adjust to EU standards so that they
could be ready for full membership by the end of 2006.
The SAA itself, which Croatia should initial by this summer, will go
into force after the ratification process in the EU is completed,
which could take about two years.
However, the most important part, trade liberalisation, will start
immediately after the signing.
(hina) rml