Croatia's accession negotiations with the European Union

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Flag of Croatia
European Union flag
Croatia (colored orange) and the EU member states at the time of accession

The accession negotiations of Croatia with the European Union were under general political consensus regarded as the top state priority of all political parties in Croatia. On February 21, 2003, the country applied for full membership and on June 18, 2004 received official status as a candidate for membership of the European Union . The actual negotiations began on October 4, 2005, after the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia confirmed Croatia's full cooperation with the tribunal, which the EU had demanded as a basic condition for opening accession negotiations. A Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) between the EU and Croatia entered into force on February 1, 2005 .

In June 2011, the accession negotiations with Croatia were formally ended after all negotiating chapters had been concluded. The last negotiating chapters were concluded during the final accession conference on June 30, 2011 under the Hungarian Presidency .

With Croatia's accession, the EU intends to signal to the other countries in Southeastern Europe that accession to the EU is possible if there is a corresponding willingness to reform and an approach to basic European values. In the country itself, Croatian politicians have always emphasized the need for reforms for their own sake and for the future of the state in the European context. The Croatian accession negotiations lasted 5 years and 8 months in total. As a new member state, Croatia is contractually obliged to introduce the euro as its currency, but must first meet a number of criteria.

Croatia signed the Accession Treaty on December 9, 2011 at the European Council in Brussels. According to the decision of the Croatian Parliament, the referendum on joining the EU was held on January 22, 2012. Two thirds voted in favor of joining the EU. When the last instrument of ratification was deposited on June 21, 2013, the ratification process was successfully completed, so that Croatia was accepted into the European Union on July 1, 2013 in the seventh EU enlargement round. Since the accession of Croatia, the Croatian language has been the 24th  official language of the EU .

history

The European flag and the flag of Croatia on the building of the Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration (MVPEI)

Independence and longing for Europe

Since the declaration of independence in 1991, Croatia had wanted to join the EU. This was seen as a logical necessity, especially since the Croatian population sees itself as an integral part of this community of values ​​in cultural and historical terms.

Shortly after independence was proclaimed in 1991, however, Croatia was confronted with the bloody consequences of breaking away from Yugoslavia . In the midst of the chaos of the Croatian War in 1994, negotiations with the EU on a stabilization agreement began. In view of the military operation Oluja , which led to the reintegration of the occupied areas of Croatia, this agreement did not come about. As a result, Croatia lost valuable financial resources that had been earmarked under the PHARE program .

Stabilization and start of negotiations

Croatia's efforts to move closer to EU standards and to promote good neighborly relations in the region were recognized at the Zagreb summit on promoting regional cooperation in south-eastern Europe on November 24, 2000. As a result of this process, Croatia was able to sign a Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with the European Union on October 29, 2001 , from when participation in the CARDS program became possible. Croatia's formal application for EU membership was submitted on February 21, 2003. On June 18, 2004, Croatia received the status of an official candidate country after the positive advice from the EU. The Stabilization and Association Agreement entered into force on February 1, 2005, from when funds from the PHARE and ISPA programs could also be used.

Accession negotiations were scheduled to start on March 17, 2005, but cooperation between the Croatian government and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia has been called into question. After the Chief Prosecutor of the Criminal Court, Carla del Ponte , attested on October 3, 2005 that the Croatian authorities had changed their position on this issue and that their cooperation was satisfactory, official accession negotiations began. The start of the negotiations, at the same time as the accession negotiations with Turkey, took place shortly after midnight in Luxembourg on October 4, 2005 due to the delays. But since Great Britain held the Council Presidency, they made do with the West European Summer Time , which was valid in Great Britain , after which it was still the 3rd October agreed in the spring. The screening process finally began on October 20, 2005. From 2006 Croatia participated in the SAPARD program for agriculture and rural development. As of January 1, 2007, the PHARE, SAPARD, ISPA and CARDS programs were replaced by the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA).

Stumbling blocks with Slovenia

The President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso said on March 13, 2008, after a dispute between Croatia and Slovenia over fishing rights was resolved, that the country could conclude the accession negotiations in 2009 and thus join the EU in 2010. On November 5, 2008, the European Commission published a detailed progress report on the accession negotiations. On this occasion, EU enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn once again held out the prospect of concluding negotiations at the end of 2009, while he expects accession in 2011 at the latest.

However, neighboring Slovenia blocked the opening of the last eleven negotiating chapters for ten months due to the legally unresolved border issue with Croatia , especially with regard to the Adriatic territorial waters , whereupon the European Union postponed accession for an indefinite period. On September 11, 2009 it was announced that the two states had agreed on a compromise on the border conflict, so that Slovenia lifted its veto against Croatia and the accession negotiations could continue. Only the foreign affairs committee of the Slovenian parliament had to approve this step, which it did unanimously on September 29th.

Implementation of reforms

Decisive for the further course of the accession negotiations were the progress made in reforming the judiciary and the way the Croatian constitutional state deals with corruption in its own country. The Croatian Authority for the Fight against Corruption and Organized Crime (USKOK), for example, has shown itself to be an increasingly effective instrument in the fight against corruption. Numerous corruption scandals have been uncovered and high-ranking politicians and officials have been brought to justice. The prosecution of former Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader from 2010 onwards can be cited as the most obvious example of the successful judicial reform . Many other examples illustrate the independence of the Croatian police and judiciary. These gave the population a clear signal that all citizens are equal before the law.

On June 6, 2011 the chapter “Fisheries” was closed. This closed 31 of 34 chapters. On June 10, 2011, the European Commission recommended that the Council close the remaining chapters. She spoke out in favor of Croatia joining the European Union.

Negotiation conclusion

The conclusion of the negotiations was decided by the European Council on June 24, 2011 during the Hungarian EU Council Presidency . The last negotiating chapters were concluded at a final accession conference at the end of June 2011. The signing ceremony for the Accession Treaty took place on December 9, 2011 at the European Council in Brussels during the Polish Presidency . After ratification of the Accession Treaty by all member states, Croatia joined the EU on July 1, 2013.

Ratifications

Ratification card

On December 1, 2011, the European Parliament approved the Accession Treaty with 564 votes in favor, 38 against and 32 abstentions. On December 5, 2011, the EU General Affairs Council decided to admit Croatia. The Croatian population voted in a referendum on January 22, 2012 with 66.25 percent for joining the EU. The accession treaty was formally passed unanimously on March 9, 2012 by the Croatian parliament , the Sabor . The completion of the ratification process also changed the Croatian constitution.

  • On February 1, 2012, the Slovak Parliament ratified membership. On February 17, 2012, the Slovak President Ivan Gašparovič signed the ratification, which brought it into force.
  • On February 13, 2012, the Hungarian Parliament ratified the Accession Treaty with 334 votes in favor, 0 against and 5 included. The ratification of the Accession Treaty formally entered into force through the publication in the Hungarian Law Gazette on February 15, 2012.
  • On February 17, 2012, the Bulgarian Parliament unanimously voted in favor of the Accession Treaty and thus ratified it.
  • On February 15, 2012, the Italian House of Commons voted with 483 votes for and 2 against for the accession treaty.
  • On February 28, 2012, the Italian Senate approved with 216 votes in favor, 2 against and 22 abstentions.
  • On March 5, 2012, the Maltese Parliament voted unanimously for the Accession Treaty and thus ratified it.
  • The Latvian Parliament voted in favor of the Accession Treaty on March 22, 2012 , and ratification took place with the signature of Latvian President Andris Bērziņš on April 2, 2012.
  • On April 26, 2012, the Lithuanian Parliament voted in favor of the Accession Treaty.
  • On May 3, 2012, the Cypriot parliament unanimously voted for the accession treaty.
  • On June 8, 2012, the Czech Parliament, like the Senate on April 25, voted in favor of the Accession Treaty.
  • On June 26, 2012, the Romanian parliament unanimously voted for the accession treaty and Czech President Vaclav Klaus signed the accession treaty.
  • On July 2nd, 2012 the Romanian President Traian Băsescu ratified the Accession Treaty.
  • In Austria , on July 4, 2012, the National Council and on July 6, 2012, the Federal Council approved the conclusion of the Accession Treaty, each with a few votes against by the FPÖ . The formal ratification for Austria took place on July 9, 2012 by Federal President Heinz Fischer in the presence of the Croatian President Ivo Josipovic .
  • On September 12, 2012, the Estonian parliament unanimously voted for membership.
  • On September 14, 2012, the Polish Sejm (lower house) voted with one vote against.
  • On September 21, 2012, the Portuguese Parliament voted for membership.
  • On October 11, 2012, the Spanish House of Commons voted unanimously to join.
  • On May 2, 2013, Denmark became the penultimate country to vote unanimously in favor of accession, following the positive report by the Commission.
  • The German Bundestag discussed the relevant draft laws on May 16, 2013 and then voted on them by name. 583 MPs voted for membership, 6 abstained. On June 7th, the German Federal Council voted unanimously for membership. The Consent Act was signed by the Federal President on June 14 and promulgated in the Federal Law Gazette on June 19, 2013 ( Federal Law Gazette II p. 586 ).

With the deposit of Germany's instrument of ratification on June 21, 2013, the ratification process was completed in all member states.

Country Parliament decision Completion of the
legislative process		 Deposit of
the certificate
European Union 0December 1, 2011 0December 5, 2011 (Council) (not applicable)
Croatia 0March 9, 2012 March 28, 2012 0April 4, 2012
Belgium October 22, 2012 to May 24, 2013 October 22, 2012 to May 30, 2013 June 10, 2013
Bulgaria 17th February 2012 February 28, 2012 April 19, 2012
Denmark 0May 2, 2013 0May 8, 2013 May 29, 2013
Germany May 16, 2013 and June 7, 20130 14th of June 2013 June 21th 2013
Estonia September 12, 2012 September 18, 2012 October 24, 2012
Finland December 18, 2012 15 March 2013 0May 6, 2013
France January 15, 2013 and January 17, 2013 January 28, 2013 March 20, 2013
Greece October 30, 2012 05th November 2012 December 27, 2012
Ireland June 19, 2012 and June 27, 2012 03rd July 2012 0October 8, 2012
Italy February 15, 2012 and February 28, 2012 February 29, 2012 April 10, 2012
Latvia March 22, 2012 0April 2, 2012 0June 6, 2012
Lithuania April 26, 2012 0May 8, 2012 June 20, 2012
Luxembourg 0October 9, 2012 November 29, 2012 17th January 2013
Malta 0March 5, 2012 0March 5, 2012 0April 2, 2012
Netherlands 0February 5, 2013 and April 16, 2013 April 18, 2013 May 31, 2013
Austria 0July 4, 2012 and July 6, 20120 0July 9, 2012 0August 8, 2012
Poland September 14, 2012 and October 4, 20120 December 19, 2012 February 12, 2013
Portugal September 21, 2012 November 14, 2012 December 19, 2012
Romania June 26, 2012 02nd July 2012 02nd August 2012
Sweden 0November 7, 2012 0November 7, 2012 0January 8, 2013
Slovakia 0February 1, 2012 17th February 2012 March 19, 2012
Slovenia 02nd April 2013 April 10, 2013 June 18, 2013
Spain October 11, 2012 and October 24, 2012 October 30, 2012 0January 8, 2013
Czech Republic April 25, 2012 and June 8, 20120 June 26, 2012 04th July 2012
Hungary February 13, 2012 February 14, 2012 March 22, 2012
United Kingdom November 27, 2012 and January 21, 2013 January 31, 2013 May 20, 2013
Cyprus 0May 3, 2012 May 18, 2012 June 11, 2012

Negotiation procedure

Before Stier, Croatian Government's Special Envoy for European and Transatlantic Relations (2011)

Reformed accession procedure

The accession procedure, which was reformed after Bulgaria and Romania joined the EU in 2007, provides for a total of 35 negotiation chapters to be fulfilled. Croatia was the first candidate country to use the reformed EU accession procedure. This provides that Croatia must show so-called benchmarks or performance records ("track record") both when opening negotiation chapters and when concluding them, which should prove that legal acts have not only come into force, but also implemented. The member states of the EU have the right to veto the continuation of negotiations at any time . Slovenia in particular made extensive use of this possibility of blocking .

Basically, the reformed accession procedure provides that an analytical evaluation or a thorough screening of the legislation is carried out by the European Commission. Subsequently, Croatia had to present its own benchmarks and basic conditions before the beginning and end of each chapter. After examination by the Commission, it recommends that the Council: H. Member States, the opening and the conclusion of one or more chapters ( draft common position of the EU , Eng. Draft EU Common Position ). Only after approval by the member states (usually by the Council for General Affairs of the EU Foreign Ministers) do negotiations on a chapter begin or end. Formal completion of chapters is funded through specially convened intergovernmental accession conferences (Engl. Intergovernmental Conference ) held, attended by representatives of the Commission, the Presidency and the candidate State. The Commission prepares annual progress reports on the negotiations.

The role of the European Parliament

According to Art. 49 of the EU Treaty, any enlargement requires the consent of the European Parliament , which decides with an absolute majority of its members. The European Parliament is an active observer of the accession negotiations and regularly assesses the status of the negotiations. The Commission's task is to keep the European Parliament informed of all important phases of the accession negotiations. The European Parliament also plays a major role in the financial aspect of enlargement. As the budgetary authority, the European Parliament and the Council jointly approve all EU expenditure.

Negotiation chapter

Negotiations began on June 12, 2006 and were completed on June 30, 2011.

chapter Screening opened completed
01. Free movement of goods February 17, 2006 July 25, 2008 April 19, 2010
02. Free movement of workers September 8, 2006 June 17, 2008 October 2, 2009
03. Freedom of establishment and freedom to provide services December 16, 2005 June 26, 2007 December 21, 2009
04. Free movement of capital December 21, 2005 October 2, 2009 5th November 2010
05. Procurement law November 29, 2005 December 19, 2008 June 30, 2010
06. Company law July 19, 2006 June 26, 2007 October 2, 2009
07. Protection of intellectual property rights March 1, 2006 March 29, 2007 December 19, 2008
08. Competition law December 6, 2005 June 30, 2010 June 30, 2011
09. Financial services May 5, 2006 June 26, 2007 November 27, 2009
10. Information society and media July 18, 2006 June 26, 2007 December 19, 2008
11. Agriculture and Rural Development February 2, 2006 October 2, 2009 April 19, 2011
12. Food safety , veterinary policy and phytosanitary June 7, 2006 October 2, 2009 July 27, 2010
13. Fisheries March 29, 2006 February 19, 2010 June 6, 2011
14. Transport policy September 21, 2006 April 21, 2008 5th November 2010
15. Energy June 21, 2006 April 21, 2008 November 27, 2009
16. Tax Policy 4th July 2006 October 2, 2009 June 30, 2010
17. Economic and monetary policy March 9, 2006 December 21, 2006 December 19, 2008
18. Statistics July 14, 2006 June 26, 2007 October 2, 2009
19. Social policy and employment March 8, 2006 June 17, 2008 December 21, 2009
20. Enterprise and industrial policy April 28, 2006 December 21, 2006 July 25, 2008
21. Trans-European transport network September 22, 2006 December 19, 2007 October 2, 2009
22. Regional policy and coordination of structural policy instruments October 6, 2006 October 2, 2009 April 19, 2011
23. Justice and fundamental rights October 18, 2006 June 30, 2010 June 30, 2011
24. Justice, Freedom and Security February 23, 2006 October 2, 2009 December 22, 2010
25. Science and Research November 15, 2005 June 12, 2006 June 12, 2006
26. Education and culture November 17, 2005 December 11, 2006 December 11, 2006
27. Environment May 19, 2006 February 19, 2010 December 22, 2010
28. Consumer and health protection July 11, 2006 October 12, 2008 November 27, 2009
29. Customs Union March 16, 2006 December 21, 2006 October 2, 2009
30. External Relations September 15, 2006 October 12, 2007 October 30, 2008
31. Foreign, security and defense policy October 2, 2006 June 30, 2010 December 22, 2010
32. Financial control June 29, 2006 June 26, 2007 July 27, 2010
33. Financial and budgetary provisions September 27, 2006 December 19, 2007 June 30, 2011
34. Institutions - 5th November 2010 5th November 2010
35. Other questions - not applicable

Innovations and special clauses

So far Croatia was the only candidate country that had to comply with Chapter 23 “ Justice and Fundamental Rights ”.

At the request of France, Croatia's accession treaty stipulated that Croatia should join the “reformed Schengen area ”. In addition, the amendments to the EU Treaty and the AEU Treaty associated with accession are to be used to incorporate some other reforms in the area of ​​fiscal stability into primary law . For example, this in the context of the euro crisis adopted European stabilization mechanism .

particularities

Consequences of the war and expansion apathy

As specifics of the Croatian accession negotiations many issues can be listed that are not part of the acquis communautaire (fr. Acquis communautaire are) and therefore not part of the actual accession negotiations. So Croatia had to deal intensively with numerous aftermaths of the Croatian war , which were noticeable until the conclusion of the accession negotiations. Negotiations between Croatia and the EU on a stabilization agreement began in the middle of the war in 1994. In view of the military operation Oluja , which led to the reintegration of the occupied territories of Croatia, this agreement did not come about. As a result, Croatia lost valuable funding that would have been earmarked under the PHARE program .

In the context of the Yugoslav Wars, the weaknesses of the fragmented EU foreign policy also became apparent . At that time the EU was in a process of institutional restructuring. However, the experience of the war in Yugoslavia also highlighted the need for a consolidated EU foreign policy and a new strategy towards the south-eastern neighboring states. The hesitant attitude towards the states of Southeast Europe delayed the start of accession negotiations with Croatia. Only Slovenia, which apart from the 10-day war was spared the consequences of the war, was able to finalize its efforts to join the EU as part of the “Big Bang” , the great wave of enlargement in 2004 . After this extensive enlargement, a certain enlargement apathy set in increasingly within the EU , which had a negative impact on Croatia's EU ambitions.

In general, the accession negotiations were slowed down by the fact that the EU linked the start of accession negotiations to the extradition of former high-ranking generals of the Croatian armed forces . It was only after the extradition of General Ante Gotovina that the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) actually determined that it was fully cooperating with this tribunal. However, the tribunal itself is not one of the EU institutions. Furthermore, until shortly before the conclusion of the negotiations in 2011, the ICTY requested artillery reports about the shelling of some Croatian villages by the Croatian army.

Regional cooperation

In view of the importance of good neighborly relations, Croatia has always expressly emphasized the need for regional cooperation with the neighboring states and states of the former Yugoslavia. The example of the blockade of Slovenia should not be repeated in possible accession negotiations with other states in the Western Balkans. The representatives of Croatia therefore continuously emphasize that Croatia will not block the EU accession of further states of the former Yugoslavia due to unresolved neighborhood problems, which should also be formulated in the accession treaty. As a token of goodwill, Croatia sent the translation of the acquis communautaire to its neighboring countries.

Monitoring until accession

For Croatia, at the insistence of a few Member States and on a proposal from the Commission, surveillance measures were put in place which continued to apply until the accession date. The implementation of these obligations by Croatia was monitored by the Commission. This should ensure that in the areas of "Justice and Fundamental Rights" (pushing ahead with judicial reforms), "Justice, Freedom and Security" (border protection, police and judicial cooperation, fight against organized crime) and "Competition Law" (restructuring of the shipbuilding industry) and steel sector) reforms will be pushed forward. Specifically, the Commission should report on the implementation measures every six months. It was not possible to postpone the joining date.

Commissioner Viviane Reding assured in May and June 2011 that Croatia was implementing the necessary reforms in the judiciary and was impressed by the progress made so far. These reforms are irreversible and permanent. The monitoring mechanism therefore only serves as an additional means in the event of a contingency. During the negotiations, Croatia was rated significantly more stringently than previous candidate countries. Enlargement Commissioner Štefan Füle therefore emphasized that in the case of Croatia, the Commission saw no reason to introduce a monitoring system similar to that for Bulgaria and Romania , which would also apply after accession to the EU. The conclusion of the accession negotiations was decided by the European Council on June 24, 2011. The last chapters were formally closed at an accession conference on June 30, 2011.

After the fourth and final monitoring report was published on March 26, 2013, the European Commission recommended Croatia's accession to the EU on July 1, 2013.

Commitments and transitional arrangements

On the day of accession to the EU, Croatia must in principle adopt and implement the entire acquis communautaire in full. Temporary transitional provisions that also existed with earlier EU enlargements concern v. a. agriculture, free movement of workers, capital movements and the environment. Obligations or transitional regulations particularly concern the following areas:

  • General economic safeguard clauses relating to the functioning of the internal market and the area of ​​justice and home affairs
  • Germany and Austria can restrict the temporary cross-border employment of workers in the field of the provision of services by companies based in Croatia. In Germany, the following service sectors will initially be affected by the deviation until the end of June 2015: construction, including related branches of the economy, cleaning of buildings, inventory and means of transport, as well as interior decorating activities. The free movement of workers from Croatia is also restricted for an initially two-year transition period.
  • Croatia undertakes to join the “reformed Schengen area”.
  • The agreements or arrangements concluded or provisionally applied by the Union with third countries or with international organizations become binding upon accession to the EU.
  • Institutional regulations: In the Council of the EU, Croatia receives the weighting of 7 votes. Croatia will have 12 members in the European Parliament in the coming legislative period. Interim MPs will be elected for a transitional period until the 2014 European elections on April 14, 2013 . Croatia is represented in the European Commission by a commissioner. Croatian representatives are also appointed for numerous other EU institutions.
  • Financial and budgetary provisions: Croatia will participate in the financing of the EU budget upon accession .
  • The Croatian language becomes the official language in the EU institutions.

See also

Portal: European Union  - Overview of Wikipedia content on the subject of the European Union
Portal: Croatia  - Overview of Wikipedia content on Croatia

Web links

swell

  1. ↑ cf. Resolution of the Croatian Parliament on accession to the European Union of December 18, 2002
  2. ↑ European Commission. Extension. Croatia - country profile. ( Memento of the original from 23 August 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / ec.europa.eu
  3. ↑ The standard. Croatia paves the way for states in the Balkans to join the EU. (June 10, 2011)
  4. ^ Vlada Republike Hrvatske (December 23, 2011). Hrvatski sabor donio odluku o referendumu. ( Memento from January 12, 2012 in the Internet Archive )
  5. ↑ Focus online (January 22, 2011) Croatians vote in referendum for EU membership.
  6. ↑ Information about the entry into force of the Accession Treaty between the Kingdom of Belgium, the Republic of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, the Kingdom of Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Republic of Estonia, Ireland, the Hellenic Republic, the Kingdom of Spain, the French Republic, the Italian Republic, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Poland, the Portuguese Republic, Romania, the Republic of Slovenia, the Slovak Republic , the Republic of Finland, the Kingdom of Sweden, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Member States of the European Union) and the Republic of Croatia on the accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union . In: Official Journal of the European Union , L 300 of November 9, 2013, ISSN  1977-0642 , p. 5, accessed and received on August 8, 2016.
    Entry on the Treaty of Accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union in the database for agreements of the Council of the European Union ( Memento of October 31, 2014 in the Internet Archive ). In: consilium.europa.eu . Council of the EU and European Council , accessed and received on August 8, 2016.
  7. ↑ cf. Testimony of Pope Benedict XVI. on the occasion of his visit to Croatia from 4th to 5th June 2011. The press. Pope: Croatia's accession to the EU "logical and necessary" (June 4, 2011)
  8. ↑ European Commission. Extension. Final Declaration of the Zagreb Summit on November 24, 2000 ( Memento from July 9, 2011 in the Internet Archive )
  9. ↑ Safu.hr. CARDS  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / www.safu.hr  
  10. ↑ Safu.hr. PHARE ( Memento from June 20, 2011 in the Internet Archive )
  11. ↑ Safu.hr. ISPA ( Memento from June 20, 2011 in the Internet Archive )
  12. ↑ Hrvatski-farmer.hr. SAPARD (Special Accession Program for Agriculture and Rural Development) ( Memento of October 31, 2011 in the Internet Archive )
  13. ↑ EU says Croatia on course to join the bloc in 2010. May 13, 2008, archived from the original on September 7, 2008 ; accessed on November 10, 2008 (English).
  14. ↑ Croatia given timetable for EU entry. In: guardian.co.uk. November 5, 2008, accessed December 10, 2011 .
  15. ^ Kosor elected as the new head of government in Croatia. In: NZZOnline. July 7, 2009, accessed December 10, 2011 .
  16. ↑ This agreement is said to have come about under pressure from the United States of America against Slovenia.
  17. ↑ Croatia's way to the EU is free again. In: heute.at. September 11, 2009, accessed December 10, 2011 .
  18. ↑ Slovenia withdraws its veto: Croatia's accession to the EU is getting closer. In: EurActiv.de. September 30, 2009, accessed December 10, 2011 .
  19. ↑ EU Commission says "Yes to Croatia". In: The press . June 10, 2011, accessed July 3, 2013 .
  20. ^ Wiener Zeitung , January 25, 2011: Croatia's accession “2013 at the earliest” (accessed on November 20, 2013).
  21. ↑ Der Standard (December 27, 2011). Croatia's EU accession approved by the European Parliament.
  22. ↑ Šampanjac i pljesak za Hrvatsku. In: hrt.hr. December 1, 2011, accessed February 28, 2012 (Croatian).
  23. ^ Conclusions of the Council of the European Union on Croatia. In: Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Croatia. December 6, 2011, archived from the original on May 1, 2012 ; accessed on May 29, 2012 (English).
  24. ↑ Der Standard (February 2, 2012): EU vote as "Signal to Southeast Europe"
  25. ↑ PRIJEDLOG zákona O POTVRĐIVANJU ugovora Između Kraljevine BELGIJE, REPUBLIKE BUGARSKE, CESKÉ REPUBLIKE, Kraljevine DANSKE, Savezne REPUBLIKE NJEMAČKE, REPUBLIKE ESTONIJE, IRSKE, HELENSKE REPUBLIKE, Kraljevine ŠPANJOLSKE, FRANCUSKE REPUBLIKE, TALIJANSKE REPUBLIKE, REPUBLIKE CIPRA, REPUBLIKE LATVIJE, REPUBLIKE LITVE, VELIKOG VOJVODSTVA Luksemburga, REPUBLIKE MAĐARSKE, REPUBLIKE painted Kraljevine NIZOZEMSKE, REPUBLIKE Austrije, REPUBLIKE POLJSKE, PORTUGALSKE REPUBLIKE, RUMUNJSKE, REPUBLIKE SLOVENIJE, Slovácké REPUBLIKE, REPUBLIKE FINSKE, Kraljevine ŠVEDSKE, UJEDINJENE Kraljevine VELIKE BRITANIJE I SJEVERNE IRSKE (države članice Európske UNIJE) I REPUBLIKE HRVATSKE O PRISTUPANJU REPUBLIKE HRVATSKE EUROPSKOJ UNIJI, S KONAČNIM PRIJEDLOGOM ZAKONA, hitni postupak, prvo i drugo čitanje, PZ br. 51. (No longer available online.) In: Croatian Parliament . March 12, 2012, archived from the original on March 8, 2012 ; Retrieved March 19, 2012 (Croatian). Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.sabor.hr
  26. ↑ hrt.hr: (February 2, 2012): Pusić: "Slovačka ratifikacija važna za Hrvatsku" (Croatian)
  27. ↑ prezident.sk: (February 17, 2012): Prezident Ivan Gašparovič podpísal ratifikačnú listinu (Slovak)
  28. ↑ hrt.hr: (February 14, 2012): Mađarska potvrdila hrvatski pristupni ugovor (Croatian)
  29. ↑ magyarkozlony.hu: (February 15, 2012): Magyar Közlöny 17. szám (2012. február 15.) (Hungarian)
  30. ↑ hrt.hr: (February 17, 2012): Sofija ratificirala hrvatski Ugovor (Croatian)
  31. ↑ https://www.vecernji.hr/vijesti/fini-i-sprem-dogovarali-ratifikaciju-sporazuma-o-kulturnim-odnosima-381948
  32. ↑ Italija ratificirala Ugovor o pristupanju. In: hrt.hr. February 28, 2012, accessed March 2, 2012 (Croatian).
  33. ↑ Malta ratificirala hrvatski pristupni ugovor. In: dnevnik.hr. March 5, 2012, accessed March 5, 2012 (Croatian).
  34. ↑ Berzinš potpisao Ugovor o pristupanju. In: hrt.hr. April 2, 2012, accessed April 2, 2012 (Croatian).
  35. ↑ The Seimas ratified the Treaty Concerning the Accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union. In: lrs.lt. April 26, 2012, accessed May 3, 2012 .
  36. ↑ Cipar ratificirao hrvatski pristupni ugovor. In: hrt.hr. May 3, 2012, accessed May 3, 2012 (Croatian).
  37. ↑ Češki parliament ratificirao hrvatski ugovor. In: hrt.hr. June 8, 2012, accessed June 10, 2012 (Croatian).
  38. ^ I Rumunjski parlament ratificirao hrvatski Pristupni ugovor: Odluku su donjeli jednoglasno. In: jutarnji.hr. June 26, 2012, accessed June 26, 2012 (Croatian).
  39. ^ Klaus potpisao, Rumunjska ratificirala. In: hrt.hr. June 26, 2012, accessed June 26, 2012 (Croatian).
  40. ^ Josipović u Bukureštu. In: hrt.hr. July 2, 2012, accessed July 2, 2012 (Croatian).
  41. ^ National Council: Blue vote against Croatia's accession to the EU. In: diepresse.com. July 4, 2012, Retrieved July 5, 2012 .
  42. ^ Resolution of the National Council: Treaty on the Accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union including final act. In: parlament.gv.at. July 4, 2012, Retrieved July 5, 2012 .
  43. ↑ Green light "in Vienna for Croatia as the 28th member of the European Union. (No longer available online.) In: bundespraesident.at. July 9, 2012, archived from the original on January 5, 2016 ; accessed on July 9, 2012 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.bundespraesident.at
  44. ^ Fischer ratified the EU accession treaty with Croatia. In: orf.at. July 9, 2012, Retrieved July 9, 2012 .
  45. ↑ Estonija ratificirala hrvatski pristupni ugovor. In: hrt.hr. September 12, 2012, accessed September 14, 2012 (Croatian).
  46. ↑ Sejm ratifies Croatia's EU Accession Treaty. In: wiadomosci.onet.pl. September 14, 2012, Retrieved September 14, 2012 (Polish).
  47. ^ Portugal ratificirao pristupni ugovor s RH. In: hrt.hr. September 21, 2012, accessed September 21, 2012 (Croatian).
  48. ↑ Španjolska: Donji dom ratificirao pristupni ugovor. In: hrt.hr. October 11, 2012, accessed October 12, 2012 (Croatian).
  49. ↑ Danska jednoglasno za Hrvatsku u Europi. (No longer available online.) In: hrt.hr. May 2, 2013, formerly in the original ; accessed on May 3, 2013 (Croatian).  ( Page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / www.hrt.hr  
  50. ↑ http://www.bundestag.de/dokumente/textarchiv/2013/44758588_kw20_sp_eubeitritt_kroatien/index.html
  51. ↑ http://www.bundestag.de/dokumente/textarchiv/2013/44800186_kw20_angenommen_abgelehnt/index.html
  52. ^ Entry on the Treaty of Accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union in the database for agreements of the Council of the European Union ( Memento from October 31, 2014 in the Internet Archive ). In: consilium.europa.eu . Council of the EU and European Council . (English).
  53. ↑ In Belgium, the federal level and all member states must agree to the treaty equally. The dates given reflect the period between the first and the last parliamentary decision or between the first and the last copy by the respective executive.
  54. ↑ http://www.senate.be/www/?MIval=/dossier&LEG=5&NR=1837&LANG=nl - http://www.senate.be/www/?MIval=/dossier&LEG=5&NR=1837&LANG=fr
  55. ↑ http://nautilus.parlement-wallon.be/Archives/2012_2013/CRA/cra9.pdf
  56. ↑ [1]  ( Page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. - http://www.pfwb.be/le-travail-du-parlement/doc-et-pub/documents-parlementaires-et-decrets/dossiers/001386965 - http://www.weblex.irisnet.be/data /crb/cri/2012-13/00011/images.pdf - http://www.weblex.irisnet.be/data/arccc/cri/2012-13/00007/images.pdf - http: //www.vlaamsparlement .be / Proteus5 / showParlInitiatief.action? id = 838041 - http://www.pfb.irisnet.be/documents/projet-024412-du-2013-05-07-a-15-38-22@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / www.dgparlament.be  
  57. ↑ http://www.ft.dk/samling/20121/lovforslag/L134/index.htm
  58. ↑ http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2012-13/europeanunioncroatianaccessionandirishprotocol/stages.html
  59. ↑ Vjesnik.hr. Kosor zahvalila pregovaračima, građanima i braniteljima. (June 13, 2011)  ( Page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / www.vjesnik.hr  
  60. ^ Die Presse (December 19, 2008). After EU veto against Croatia: Pressure on Slovenia increases
  61. ↑ European Parliament. Information office for Austria. Extension. ( Memento of the original from December 24, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.europarl.at
  62. ↑ Vjesnik.hr. Kosor zahvalila pregovaračima, građanima i braniteljima. (June 13, 2011)  ( Page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / www.vjesnik.hr  
  63. ↑ Nacional. Francuski ministar umiruje: Monitoring za Hrvatsku samo do ulaska u EU. (May 23, 2011) ( Memento of May 27, 2011 in the Internet Archive )
  64. ↑ Večernji list. Nova financijska disciplina u EU mogla bi usporiti pristup Hrvatske. (October 23, 2010)
  65. ↑ Member States that require monitoring would be France, the Netherlands and Great Britain (as well as Germany). ORF May 25, 2011 .
  66. ↑ European Commission. Press release of June 10, 2011. Statement by Commissioner Füle on the occasion of the recommendation by the Commission to close the remaining chapters with Croatia
  67. ^ Council of the EU (June 30, 2011). Press release. Accession Conference at Ministerial level closes negotiations with Croatia. (PDF; 100 kB)
  68. ↑ EU-Croatia: Monitoring reports on 3 negotiation chapters twice a year (June 11, 2011)
  69. ↑ Večernji list. June 21, 2011. Motrenje bez mogućnosti odgode članstva
  70. ↑ The press. Breakthrough on Croatia's path into the EU. (May 17, 2011)
  71. ↑ Tportal.hr. Reding says is impressed with Croatia's progress in judiciary. (May 18, 2011) ( Memento of May 21, 2011 in the Internet Archive )
  72. ↑ Nacional (June 16, 2011). Füle: Hrvatska nakon ulaska u EU neće biti pod monitoringom ( Memento from June 19, 2011 in the Internet Archive )
  73. ↑ Croatia can become the 28th EU member welt.de, March 26, 2013
  74. ↑ Fischer World Almanac. EU: Accession Treaty.
  75. ↑ Announcement of a communication from the Federal Government to the European Commission on transitional measures regarding the free movement of workers from the Republic of Croatia after the EU expansion on July 1, 2013 from June 21, 2013, BAnz AT June 28 , 2013 B4
  76. ↑ Euractiv (October 25, 2010). Croatia assesses future power position in the EU
  77. ↑ Jutarnji list (October 11, 2007). Hrvatskoj 12 mjesta u parlamentu EU ( Memento from January 5, 2016 in the Internet Archive )