Benchmarks are a new instrument which the EU uses in the negotiating process. This mechanism was not institutionalised in the previous enlargement round or used as a condition to open, but to close negotiations on a chapter of the acquis communautaire.
To open the chapter on public procurement, Croatia will have to adopt an action plan or strategy with deadlines for reforms which will be carried out in order to adjust its legislation to the acquis as well as a plan for institutional capacities.
The other benchmark calls for organising public procurement so that it can guarantee a coherent policy during the preaccession process in all areas related to public procurement and steer implementation so as to facilitate adjustment and future negotiations.
Croatia will have to improve ties between the government's Office for Public Procurement and the State Commission for the Control of Public Procurement. It will also have to employ new personnel, invest in their education, and make bodies ready for swift reaction.
The benchmarks the EU uses in the negotiating process may be divided into three groups --reform benchmarks, implementation benchmarks, and benchmarks stemming from the Stabilisation and Association Agreement.
Although at this stage the benchmark system somewhat slows down the negotiating process, it steps it up at the later stage. The benchmarks will also make it possible to separate accession negotiations with Croatia and Turkey because Ankara will have more and tougher benchmarks.
According to diplomats, Croatia may expect benchmarks for the majority of chapters. The first concrete negotiations will be opened in Luxembourg on June 12 for at least one chapter -- science and research.