"The Council has assessed thoroughly the monitoring report and tables, and notes with satisfaction that Croatia has continued to make progress in adopting and implementing EU legislation, is completing its alignment with the acquis, and has achieved substantial results in a number of areas. It is essential that Croatia sharpens its focus on the ten key issues highlighted by the Commission, in the fields of competition policy, judiciary and fundamental rights, and justice, freedom and security," the Council said in draft conclusions.
The General Affairs Council, comprised of foreign and European affairs ministers, discussed enlargement based on a package the Commission released in October. Croatian Assistant Foreign and European Affairs Minister Hrvoje Marusic attended the Brussels meeting as an observer.
The Council's conclusions will be confirmed by the EU member countries' heads of state or government at a summit on Thursday and Friday.
According to the draft conclusions, the "Council endorses the specific recommendations in the Commission's report and urges Croatia to address without delay the concerns highlighted in order to ensure that its preparations are successfully completed, and that this can be reflected in the Commission's final monitoring report on Croatia's preparations to be presented in spring 2013, in line with the provisions of the Accession Treaty."
The ministers recalled "Croatia's commitment that bilateral issues should not obstruct the accession process of candidate countries."
"Croatia is expected to continue to play an active role in regional cooperation in the Western Balkans. Bearing in mind the importance of good neighbourly relations and the implementation of legally binding international agreements, the Council encourages Croatia to continue addressing all outstanding bilateral and regional issues, including succession issues, building on progress achieved so far. Further efforts are needed to tackle impunity for war crimes through impartial handling of outstanding cases and through continued full cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia," the draft conclusions said.
The Council also "notes with satisfaction the ongoing process of ratification of the Accession Treaty and looks forward to welcoming Croatia as a member of the Union as of 1 July 2013, subject to successful completion of ratification procedures by Member States."