BRUSSELS, Dec 18 (Hina) - The first round of negotiations between Croatia and the European Union on the Stabilisation and Association Agreement started in Brussels Monday. Croatia is the second country to begin negotiation on the
agreement. The official opening of negotiations was marked by statements of Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan and President of European Commission Romano Prodi at the Zagreb Summit when Macedonia initialed the agreement and concluded the negotiations cycles. A Croatian delegation at today's meeting is headed by main negotiator with the European Union Neven Mimica. Croatia expects the negotiations to end after three rounds, namely by late June 2001. Issues of trade liberalisation and legislation adjustments are expected to be the most demanding, considering that time frameworks for the opening of Croatia's market for the European products should be adjusted. Legislation adjustment to Eur
BRUSSELS, Dec 18 (Hina) - The first round of negotiations between
Croatia and the European Union on the Stabilisation and Association
Agreement started in Brussels Monday.
Croatia is the second country to begin negotiation on the
agreement.
The official opening of negotiations was marked by statements of
Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan and President of European
Commission Romano Prodi at the Zagreb Summit when Macedonia
initialed the agreement and concluded the negotiations cycles.
A Croatian delegation at today's meeting is headed by main
negotiator with the European Union Neven Mimica.
Croatia expects the negotiations to end after three rounds, namely
by late June 2001. Issues of trade liberalisation and legislation
adjustments are expected to be the most demanding, considering that
time frameworks for the opening of Croatia's market for the
European products should be adjusted. Legislation adjustment to
European standards should also take place. However, a significant
part on other areas of the agreement could be concluded today in
Brussels, namely political-security issues which determine the way
and conditions for regional cooperation and a political dialogue
between Croatia and the European Union and other countries included
in the stabilisation and association process, institutional
mechanisms for the implementation of the agreement and programmes
of European Union's technical and financial assistance to
Croatia.
The first round of negotiations is scheduled to end by 18.00 hours.
The second round of negotiations on the succession to the former
Yugoslavia is being held at the same time in Brussels. Delegations
of successor countries will hold bilateral talks with
international mediator for the succession Arthur Watts. A
multilateral meeting is scheduled to take place at 15.00 hours
Tuesday.
The negotiations were interrupted in early 1999 due to
international sanctions imposed on the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia and obstructive attitude of the country toward the
negotiations.
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