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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 1 Oct 2003

Vol. 571 No. 2

Written Answers. - EU Membership.

Pat Breen

Question:

153 Mr. P. Breen asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he expects Croatia to join the EU with Bulgaria and Romania in 2007. [21107/03]

Croatia formally applied to join the European Union on 20 February 2003. At its meeting on 14 April, the General Affairs and External Relations Council asked the Commission to prepare a formal opinion on the application, as required under Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union. It is likely that the opinion will be issued at some point in the first half of 2004, during Ireland's EU Presidency. The Government has welcomed the Croatian application and, as holder of the Presidency, Ireland is ready to facilitate consideration of the Commission opinion by the Council.

Croatia's application will be assessed in the context of the Copenhagen political criteria for candidate states and in the framework of progress in the implementation of commitments under the Stabilisation and Association Agreement concluded with the EU in 2001. Issues of particular importance will be progress in economic and institutional reform, action to enable the return of refugees from the conflicts of the 1990s and the level of co-operation with the international criminal tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

During the visit to Dublin in June Prime Minister Ivica Racan and Foreign Minister Tonino Picula outlined the policies the Government of Croatia intends to pursue with a view to the achievement of early accession negotiations. They recognise fully that timing of any negotiations will depend on the outcome of the Commission opinion and its consideration by the European Council.

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