BETA


2010/2995(RSP) Resolution on the 2010 progress report on Croatia

Progress: Procedure completed

Legal Basis:
RoP 132-p2

Events

2011/06/22
   EC - Commission response to text adopted in plenary
Documents
2011/02/16
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2011/02/16
   EP - Debate in Parliament
2011/02/16
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

The European Parliament adopted by 548 votes to 43 and 52 abstentions, a resolution tabled by the Committee on Foreign Affairs on the 2010 progress report on Croatia.

Parliament commends Croatia for the substantial progress achieved in attaining the benchmarks necessary for the conclusion of the accession negotiations. It asks Croatia to pursue resolutely the necessary reforms in order to be able to attain the final benchmarks and to conclude the negotiations, welcoming the intention of the Hungarian Presidency to complete the negotiations in the first half of 2011 if all the criteria and benchmarks are complied with .

However, Members continue to be concerned that, as revealed by the latest Eurobarometer survey, the majority of Croatian citizens think that Croatia's EU membership would not benefit the country. They encourage the Croatian authorities and civil society, with the help of the Commission, to work to ensure that the Croatians see the European project as being theirs as well.

Political criteria : Parliament welcomes the fact that in June 2010 the Croatian Parliament adopted substantial amendments to the Constitution required by EU accession. It believes that the constitutional changes adopted will pave the way for passing the remaining legislation.

Corruption : whilst welcoming the efforts of the Croatian Government to take a strong stance against all forms of corruption, Parliament notes that corruption seems to have been widespread in Croatia and remains a serious overall problem. It also notes that few corruption cases have come to court and most remain at the prosecution/investigation stage. Parliament calls on the Croatian authorities to further strengthen the administrative capacities of anti-corruption bodies, in particular that of the Office for the Fight against Corruption and Organised Crime (USKOK), and further foster a culture of political accountability.

Judicial system : Members are pleased with the substantial efforts to further reform the judiciary, in particular with the adoption of the revised judicial reform action plan. They stress, however, that the rule of law and citizens' confidence in the judiciary are still suffering from the heavy backlog of cases and excessive length of court procedures. Furthermore, the enforcement of court decisions remains a problem, and the the Commission has not yet observed sufficient progress with regard to the infrastructure and equipment of courts. The Croatian authorities are encouraged to continue improving the independence, efficiency and resources of the judiciary.

ICTY : Members welcome the generally responsive attitude of Croatia's authorities to the Prosecutor's requests for assistance and the fact that requests are answered adequately and access to witnesses and evidence is provided. They call on the Croatian Government, however, to intensify its administrative investigation concerning the military documents requested and clarify inconsistencies in its reports to the Prosecutor's Office that were mentioned in the Prosecutor's latest statement to the UNSC and have not been resolved yet. They also note that further improvements are necessary in the conduct of war crimes trials, in order to ensure fully unbiased, impartial trials as well as to tackle impunity and improve witness protection.

Refugees : Parliament welcomes the overall progress in the field of refugee return and is pleased to note that public hostility towards returning Serbs has diminished in most of the country. It notes, however, that problems still remain for refugees and returnees. It calls on the Croatian authorities to facilitate the reintegration of returnees by further removing obstacles to obtaining permanent residence status, by adequately financing and accelerating the programme of house reconstruction and by launching social and economic recovery projects.

Freedom of expression : the resolution notes that freedom of expression, including freedom and pluralism of the media, is provided for in Croatian law and generally respected in the country. It calls on the Croatian authorities, however, to take further steps to ensure the independence of media outlets and create conditions for their professionalism. It also welcomes the relative progress made in the area of women's rights and gender equality. Parliament welcomes the fact that Croatia was among the first countries to agree to be bound by the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, as well as welcoming progress with regard to the prison system, and improvements regarding prosecutions for hate crimes. It also notes good progress with regard to respect for and protection of minorities, whilst stressing the need to take the appropriate measures to protect the Roma minority.

Economic criteria : the resolution calls on the Croatian Government (i) to address the structural weaknesses of the economy and reduce its redistributive role through structural reform to boost competitiveness; (ii) to reform Croatia's health sector, social systems and state aid policies; (iii) to address the very low employment rates and pursue further efforts to increase employment by addressing inflexible labour market regulations and the disincentives for workers' participation in the labour market.

Members note that Croatia has continued to improve its ability to take on the obligations of EU membership , with a good degree of alignment with the acquis communautaire in most sectors. They encourage the Croatian authorities, however, to devote particular attention to administrative capacities ensuring proper implementation.

Taking note of the tendering procedure for the shipyards in difficulty in May 2010, Parliament calls on the Croatian Government to conclude as soon as possible the process of restructuring in this regard in order to attain an important benchmark of the accession negotiations necessary for the provisional closure of the competition chapter. They also urge the Croatian Government to improve the coordination of central government institutions responsible for environmental management, in particular those for spatial planning, waste and water management and air.

Lastly, Parliament encourages Croatia to continue its efforts to maintain and further develop good-neighbourly relations and to remain an important and proactive promoter of regional cooperation on all levels. It commends the Croatian President for paying deep respect to Bosnian victims of war crimes on his official visit to Sarajevo in April 2010. It sees this initiative and gesture as a commitment on the part of Croatia to solve historical issues with its neighbours in a fair, sincere and dignified manner.

Documents
2011/02/16
   EP - End of procedure in Parliament
2011/02/07
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2010/12/14
   CSL - Resolution/conclusions adopted by Council
Details

The Council adopted a series of conclusions on the enlargement strategy . These may be summarised as follows:

Welcoming the communication from the Commission of 9 November 2010 on the Enlargement Strategy and Main Challenges 2010-2011 , as well as the Opinions on Montenegro and Albania, and the progress reports on Turkey, Croatia, Iceland, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo, the Council states that it broadly shares the Commission’s assessments.

The Council reaffirms the strong support of the EU for taking the enlargement process forward but states that key challenges remain to be negotiated in most enlargement countries . Sound macro-economic and fiscal policies and EU-related reforms can help to overcome the economic crisis and to achieve sustainable growth. Strengthening the rule of law, including through judiciary reform and stepping up the fight against corruption and organised crime, remains crucial and requires sustained efforts. Public administration reform is also important for EU policies to function properly. Social and economic inclusion of vulnerable groups, including the Roma, should be improved. Problems affecting freedom of expression and the media remain a particular concern. Regional cooperation and good neighbourly relations are essential parts of the enlargement process. They contribute to reconciliation and a climate conducive to addressing open bilateral issues. The Council encourages all parties concerned to address bilateral issues, falling outside areas of EU competence and/or contractual obligations towards the EU, in a constructive spirit and taking into account overall EU interests.

As the countries concerned meet the standards which have been set, including notably those linked to democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights and freedoms, the EU is committed to working with them to advance to the next steps in the process. The Council welcomes the strengthened link between priorities identified for the (potential) candidate countries and the programming of financial assistance, in particular through the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA).

As regards Croatia , the Council welcomes Croatia’s good overall progress towards meeting the membership criteria. Accession negotiations have reached their final stage and preparations for the drafting of the Accession Treaty have progressed steadily. Conclusion of the negotiations is within reach.

Encouraging progress has been made in many areas, including in the field of rule of law and the fight against high-level corruption. At the same time, further efforts are required, inter alia as regards judicial independence and efficiency, the fight against corruption at all levels, as well as in the fields of public administration reform, the rights of persons belonging to minorities, refugee return and war crimes trials.

The Council encourages Croatia to step up its efforts to fulfil the remaining benchmarks, including the build-up of convincing track records, in particular as regards competition policy and judiciary and fundamental rights .

It also welcomes:

· the generally good cooperation of Croatia with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY);

· Croatia’s active role in regional cooperation, the improvement in its relations with neighbouring countries and its efforts aimed at reconciliation in the region. It welcomes the entry into force of the Arbitration Agreement on the border issue with Slovenia on 29 November 2010.

Lastly, building on the results of the Accession Conferences of July and November 2010, the Council hopes that further progress can be registered on this occasion.

2010/12/14
   CSL - Council Meeting
2010/11/09
   all - Additional information
Details

Croatia 2010 Progress Report

Documents

Activities

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)

events/3/docs
  • url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/CRE-7-2011-02-16-TOC_EN.html title: Debate in Parliament
docs/0/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-7-2011-0094_EN.html
New
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-7-2011-0094_EN.html
events/3/docs
  • url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20110216&type=CRE title: Debate in Parliament
events/4
date
2011-02-16T00:00:00
type
Decision by Parliament
body
EP
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-7-2011-0059_EN.html title: T7-0059/2011
summary
events/4
date
2011-02-16T00:00:00
type
Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
body
EP
docs
url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-7-2011-0059_EN.html title: T7-0059/2011
summary
procedure/legal_basis/0
Rules of Procedure EP 132-p2
procedure/legal_basis/0
Rules of Procedure EP 123-p2
docs/0/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&reference=B7-2011-94&language=EN
New
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-7-2011-0094_EN.html
docs/1/body
EC
events/4/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P7-TA-2011-59
New
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-7-2011-0059_EN.html
activities
  • date: 2010-11-09T00:00:00 body: all type: Additional information
  • body: CSL meeting_id: 3060 council: General Affairs date: 2010-12-14T00:00:00 type: Council Meeting
  • date: 2011-02-16T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=19611&l=en type: Results of vote in Parliament title: Results of vote in Parliament url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20110216&type=CRE type: Debate in Parliament title: Debate in Parliament url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P7-TA-2011-59 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T7-0059/2011 body: EP type: Results of vote in Parliament
commission
  • body: EC dg: Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations commissioner: FÜLE Štefan
committees
    council
    • body: CSL type: Council Meeting council: General Affairs meeting_id: 3060 url: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/content/out?lang=EN&typ=SET&i=SMPL&ROWSPP=25&RESULTSET=1&NRROWS=500&DOC_LANCD=EN&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC&CONTENTS=3060*&MEET_DATE=14/12/2010 date: 2010-12-14T00:00:00
    docs
    • date: 2011-02-07T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&reference=B7-2011-94&language=EN title: B7-0094/2011 type: Motion for a resolution body: EP
    • date: 2011-06-22T00:00:00 docs: url: /oeil/spdoc.do?i=19611&j=0&l=en title: SP(2011)3792 type: Commission response to text adopted in plenary
    events
    • date: 2010-11-09T00:00:00 type: Additional information body: all summary: Croatia 2010 Progress Report
    • date: 2010-12-14T00:00:00 type: Resolution/conclusions adopted by Council body: CSL summary: The Council adopted a series of conclusions on the enlargement strategy . These may be summarised as follows: Welcoming the communication from the Commission of 9 November 2010 on the Enlargement Strategy and Main Challenges 2010-2011 , as well as the Opinions on Montenegro and Albania, and the progress reports on Turkey, Croatia, Iceland, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo, the Council states that it broadly shares the Commission’s assessments. The Council reaffirms the strong support of the EU for taking the enlargement process forward but states that key challenges remain to be negotiated in most enlargement countries . Sound macro-economic and fiscal policies and EU-related reforms can help to overcome the economic crisis and to achieve sustainable growth. Strengthening the rule of law, including through judiciary reform and stepping up the fight against corruption and organised crime, remains crucial and requires sustained efforts. Public administration reform is also important for EU policies to function properly. Social and economic inclusion of vulnerable groups, including the Roma, should be improved. Problems affecting freedom of expression and the media remain a particular concern. Regional cooperation and good neighbourly relations are essential parts of the enlargement process. They contribute to reconciliation and a climate conducive to addressing open bilateral issues. The Council encourages all parties concerned to address bilateral issues, falling outside areas of EU competence and/or contractual obligations towards the EU, in a constructive spirit and taking into account overall EU interests. As the countries concerned meet the standards which have been set, including notably those linked to democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights and freedoms, the EU is committed to working with them to advance to the next steps in the process. The Council welcomes the strengthened link between priorities identified for the (potential) candidate countries and the programming of financial assistance, in particular through the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA). As regards Croatia , the Council welcomes Croatia’s good overall progress towards meeting the membership criteria. Accession negotiations have reached their final stage and preparations for the drafting of the Accession Treaty have progressed steadily. Conclusion of the negotiations is within reach. Encouraging progress has been made in many areas, including in the field of rule of law and the fight against high-level corruption. At the same time, further efforts are required, inter alia as regards judicial independence and efficiency, the fight against corruption at all levels, as well as in the fields of public administration reform, the rights of persons belonging to minorities, refugee return and war crimes trials. The Council encourages Croatia to step up its efforts to fulfil the remaining benchmarks, including the build-up of convincing track records, in particular as regards competition policy and judiciary and fundamental rights . It also welcomes: · the generally good cooperation of Croatia with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY); · Croatia’s active role in regional cooperation, the improvement in its relations with neighbouring countries and its efforts aimed at reconciliation in the region. It welcomes the entry into force of the Arbitration Agreement on the border issue with Slovenia on 29 November 2010. Lastly, building on the results of the Accession Conferences of July and November 2010, the Council hopes that further progress can be registered on this occasion.
    • date: 2011-02-16T00:00:00 type: Results of vote in Parliament body: EP docs: url: https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=19611&l=en title: Results of vote in Parliament
    • date: 2011-02-16T00:00:00 type: Debate in Parliament body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20110216&type=CRE title: Debate in Parliament
    • date: 2011-02-16T00:00:00 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P7-TA-2011-59 title: T7-0059/2011 summary: The European Parliament adopted by 548 votes to 43 and 52 abstentions, a resolution tabled by the Committee on Foreign Affairs on the 2010 progress report on Croatia. Parliament commends Croatia for the substantial progress achieved in attaining the benchmarks necessary for the conclusion of the accession negotiations. It asks Croatia to pursue resolutely the necessary reforms in order to be able to attain the final benchmarks and to conclude the negotiations, welcoming the intention of the Hungarian Presidency to complete the negotiations in the first half of 2011 if all the criteria and benchmarks are complied with . However, Members continue to be concerned that, as revealed by the latest Eurobarometer survey, the majority of Croatian citizens think that Croatia's EU membership would not benefit the country. They encourage the Croatian authorities and civil society, with the help of the Commission, to work to ensure that the Croatians see the European project as being theirs as well. Political criteria : Parliament welcomes the fact that in June 2010 the Croatian Parliament adopted substantial amendments to the Constitution required by EU accession. It believes that the constitutional changes adopted will pave the way for passing the remaining legislation. Corruption : whilst welcoming the efforts of the Croatian Government to take a strong stance against all forms of corruption, Parliament notes that corruption seems to have been widespread in Croatia and remains a serious overall problem. It also notes that few corruption cases have come to court and most remain at the prosecution/investigation stage. Parliament calls on the Croatian authorities to further strengthen the administrative capacities of anti-corruption bodies, in particular that of the Office for the Fight against Corruption and Organised Crime (USKOK), and further foster a culture of political accountability. Judicial system : Members are pleased with the substantial efforts to further reform the judiciary, in particular with the adoption of the revised judicial reform action plan. They stress, however, that the rule of law and citizens' confidence in the judiciary are still suffering from the heavy backlog of cases and excessive length of court procedures. Furthermore, the enforcement of court decisions remains a problem, and the the Commission has not yet observed sufficient progress with regard to the infrastructure and equipment of courts. The Croatian authorities are encouraged to continue improving the independence, efficiency and resources of the judiciary. ICTY : Members welcome the generally responsive attitude of Croatia's authorities to the Prosecutor's requests for assistance and the fact that requests are answered adequately and access to witnesses and evidence is provided. They call on the Croatian Government, however, to intensify its administrative investigation concerning the military documents requested and clarify inconsistencies in its reports to the Prosecutor's Office that were mentioned in the Prosecutor's latest statement to the UNSC and have not been resolved yet. They also note that further improvements are necessary in the conduct of war crimes trials, in order to ensure fully unbiased, impartial trials as well as to tackle impunity and improve witness protection. Refugees : Parliament welcomes the overall progress in the field of refugee return and is pleased to note that public hostility towards returning Serbs has diminished in most of the country. It notes, however, that problems still remain for refugees and returnees. It calls on the Croatian authorities to facilitate the reintegration of returnees by further removing obstacles to obtaining permanent residence status, by adequately financing and accelerating the programme of house reconstruction and by launching social and economic recovery projects. Freedom of expression : the resolution notes that freedom of expression, including freedom and pluralism of the media, is provided for in Croatian law and generally respected in the country. It calls on the Croatian authorities, however, to take further steps to ensure the independence of media outlets and create conditions for their professionalism. It also welcomes the relative progress made in the area of women's rights and gender equality. Parliament welcomes the fact that Croatia was among the first countries to agree to be bound by the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, as well as welcoming progress with regard to the prison system, and improvements regarding prosecutions for hate crimes. It also notes good progress with regard to respect for and protection of minorities, whilst stressing the need to take the appropriate measures to protect the Roma minority. Economic criteria : the resolution calls on the Croatian Government (i) to address the structural weaknesses of the economy and reduce its redistributive role through structural reform to boost competitiveness; (ii) to reform Croatia's health sector, social systems and state aid policies; (iii) to address the very low employment rates and pursue further efforts to increase employment by addressing inflexible labour market regulations and the disincentives for workers' participation in the labour market. Members note that Croatia has continued to improve its ability to take on the obligations of EU membership , with a good degree of alignment with the acquis communautaire in most sectors. They encourage the Croatian authorities, however, to devote particular attention to administrative capacities ensuring proper implementation. Taking note of the tendering procedure for the shipyards in difficulty in May 2010, Parliament calls on the Croatian Government to conclude as soon as possible the process of restructuring in this regard in order to attain an important benchmark of the accession negotiations necessary for the provisional closure of the competition chapter. They also urge the Croatian Government to improve the coordination of central government institutions responsible for environmental management, in particular those for spatial planning, waste and water management and air. Lastly, Parliament encourages Croatia to continue its efforts to maintain and further develop good-neighbourly relations and to remain an important and proactive promoter of regional cooperation on all levels. It commends the Croatian President for paying deep respect to Bosnian victims of war crimes on his official visit to Sarajevo in April 2010. It sees this initiative and gesture as a commitment on the part of Croatia to solve historical issues with its neighbours in a fair, sincere and dignified manner.
    • date: 2011-02-16T00:00:00 type: End of procedure in Parliament body: EP
    links
    other
    • body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/ title: Enlargement commissioner: FÜLE Štefan
    procedure/legal_basis/0
    Rules of Procedure EP 123-p2
    procedure/legal_basis/0
    Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 123-p2
    procedure/subject
    Old
    • 8.20.01 Candidate countries
    New
    8.20.01
    Candidate countries
    procedure/subtype
    Old
    Resolution on statements
    New
    Resolution on statement
    activities
    • date: 2010-11-09T00:00:00 body: all type: Additional information
    • body: CSL meeting_id: 3060 council: General Affairs date: 2010-12-14T00:00:00 type: Council Meeting
    • date: 2011-02-16T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=19611&l=en type: Results of vote in Parliament title: Results of vote in Parliament url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20110216&type=CRE type: Debate in Parliament title: Debate in Parliament url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P7-TA-2011-59 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T7-0059/2011 body: EP type: Results of vote in Parliament
    committees
      links
      other
      • body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/ title: Enlargement commissioner: FÜLE Štefan
      procedure
      legal_basis
      Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 123-p2
      reference
      2010/2995(RSP)
      title
      Resolution on the 2010 progress report on Croatia
      geographical_area
      Croatia
      stage_reached
      Procedure completed
      subtype
      Resolution on statements
      type
      RSP - Resolutions on topical subjects
      subject
      8.20.01 Candidate countries