BRUSSELS, April 21 (Hina) - The European Commission's exceptionally positive opinion on Croatia's EU membership application is a good basis for the European Council to grant Croatia candidate status and set a date for the start of
accession talks at a summit in June, an this raises the question of whether Croatia can join the next enlargement round.
BRUSSELS, April 21 (Hina) - The European Commission's exceptionally
positive opinion on Croatia's EU membership application is a good
basis for the European Council to grant Croatia candidate status and
set a date for the start of accession talks at a summit in June, an
this raises the question of whether Croatia can join the next
enlargement round.#L#
EC officials said at a technical briefing in Brussels on Tuesday that
there was no realistic possibility of Croatia joining the EU in 2007,
when Bulgaria and Romania are expected to join the bloc.
Considering the procedure that Croatia must undergo, 2007 is not a
realistic year, an official of the EC Enlargement Directorate said.
The official explained that the Council first had to make a decision
on the start of accession talks, which would be followed by
'screening' - a detailed analysis of the degree of adjustment of
national legislation to that of the EU. This is a demanding job which
requires good experts and which in case of the accessing countries
lasted several months. After the screening is finished, a negotiating
position is defined and talks can start on the 29 chapters of the EU
legislation (acquis communautaire). Once the talks are completed, an
accession agreement is signed and ratified by all 25 EU
member-countries.
Illustrating the complexity of the job Croatia is facing, the EC
official said that some 83,000 pages of the acquis would have to be
translated into Croatian, after which institutions implementing those
laws would have to be established.
Six of the 10 countries which join the EU on 1 May started accession
talks in the first half of 1998 and the other four in early 2000. All
the countries completed the talks in December 2002, so the shortest
deadline for the completion of talks is slightly less than three
years. Throughout 2003 and the first four months of 2004 accession
agreements were signed, ratified and the remaining preparations for
full membership were carried out.
Croatia is expected to start the talks at the end of this year or the
beginning of next. For Croatia to join the EU in 2007, the talks would
have to be much shorter than in previous cases.
The Financial Times has reported that the talks on Croatia's
membership could start in autumn this year and that Croatia could join
the EU in 2007 with Bulgaria.
After member-countries formally accept the EC's recommendation at the
June summit, diplomats expect the talks to start in autumn, the daily
said.
Croatia could be ready to join the EU in 2007 with Bulgaria, depending
on the speed of the talks and reforms in the country. It is still
uncertain if Romania will be ready for entry by that time, the British
daily said.
EC officials have said the EU is ready to financially assist Croatia
as it has other candidates.
(Hina) rml