Potocnik, who was on a two-day visit to Croatia, told a news conference on Friday that the Environment negotiating area would be provisionally closed after Croatia met benchmarks and that currently negotiations were being held on transitional periods requested by Croatia.
Croatia should meet benchmarks in the Environment policy chapter No. 27. The talks are being finalised for transitional periods, particularly relating to waste water, air quality and industrial pollution, Potocnik said after he visited the EU Delegation in Zagreb.
You are on the right track, we do not expect many problems in your efforts to meet benchmarks, the EU commissioner said.
Potocnik, the first EU Environment Commissioner to visit Croatia, commended Croatian officials whom he met on Thursday and Friday for their professionalism and spirit of cooperation.
I am glad to see that the Croatian government has set the country's EU integration as the main priority, said Potocnik, former Slovenian chief negotiator in its EU accession negotiations.
We are aware of huge investment which will be needed to achieve the full alignment of the national legislation with the EU acquis communautaire in Policy Chapter No. 27 and therefore it is very important for you to focus on the absorption of funds, currently of means from the IPA fund and later from structural and cohesion funds when you become an EU member, he said at the news conference.