CRO OFFICE FOR EUROPEAN INTEGRATION TO HOLD SEMINAR IN DUBROVNIK

ZAGREB, July 5 (Hina) - The Croatian Government's Office for European Integration (UEI) is organising a seminar on the topic "From A Country in Transition to the Membership in the European Union," between 7 and 9 July in Dubrovnik, the Office said at a news conference in Zagreb on Monday. This is the third seminar organised by this Office in order to inform and train Croatian civil servants on various phases in the process of approaching the EU and specific problems which future EU member-countries can face starting from the position of countries in transition. Croatian Minister of European Integration, Ljerka Mintas Hodak, told reporters the Dubrovnik event would be the first seminar to gather representatives of state secretariats or offices for European integration of all countries candidates for the EU membership and countries which were not still officially announced as candidates but which aspired toward the same objective. The exchange of experience in the integration process will be useful for everybody, Mintas Hodak said. She added that this office of the Croatian Government had drawn up a plan of activities for Croatia's bids to be integrated, which she described as a preliminary, general but first closely reasoned report based on expert research and data on attempts of the Croatian economy and legislation to adjust themselves. The purpose of the plan is to establish the current situation and see what else Croatia should do in order to facilitate the implementation of European standards and create prerequisites for the country's full membership in the EU. We hope that the plan will be forwarded to the Government next week, she said adding that they intended to present the document immediately to the European Commission and EU member-states. Such a document was made by all countries candidates when they signed an agreement on the EU associate membership. (hina) ms