The process of screening precedes negotiations on each of the 35 chapters of the acquis communautaire, the European legal standards.
The screening on each topic consists of two stages: the explanatory stage when EC officials explain the acquis communautaire regarding the concerned chapter and the bilateral screening when officials of a country candidate present a level of the adjustment of the national legislation to the relevant EU standards.
From 20 October 2005, when Zagreb and Brussels started the screening procedure, until now, Croatia carried out 29 explanatory screenings and 25 bilateral screenings at a total of 54 meetings.
After the summer recess, another 12 meetings - four explanatory screenings and eight bilateral screenings - are to be held in September and October.
The entire procedure of screening is to be concluded on 18 October with the completion of bilateral screening on the judiciary and human rights chapter.
The committee of EU member countries' permanent representatives (COREPER) has so far adopted EC reports on screenings for seven chapter out of 25 chapters that have been screened to date.
Croatia was given benchmarks, i.e. additional points of reference for making comparisons, for four chapters - public procurement, market competition, social policy and employment, and justice, freedom and security. No benchmarks were set for chapters on science and research, education and culture, and the customs union.
It is likely that benchmarks will be introduced for a majority of chapters, and that no benchmarks will be set in about one third of chapters.
The Croatian-EC negotiations on the science and research chapter started last month and were temporarily closed on the same day.