Toetredingsonderhandelingen met Kroatië beginnen in 2005 (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Croatia has been told that early next year it can begin negotiations to join the European Union.

EU leaders, meeting for a summit in Brussels today said that the country had met the political criteria to become an EU member and recommended that negotiations start in January next year.

Commission President Romano Prodi told journalists that the decision was a historic one and that it sent a message to the countries of the region that "the door is open".

Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader welcomed the decision and said that he hoped his country would be able to complete negotiations by 2007.

However, some thorny issues remain and the EU is warning that efforts still need to be addressed such as minority rights, refugee returns, reform of the judiciary, regional co-operation, the fight against corruption and crucially co-operation with the International Criminal Tribunal in The Hague.

Zagreb is being pressed to maintain full co-operation with ICTY and to find a transfer former General Ante Gotovina.

The UK and the Netherlands have heavily criticised Croatia for not being able to bring former general Ante Gotovina to the tribunal.

Both countries had refused to ratify an association agreement that paves the way for membership until there was increased co-operation from Zagreb.

The Netherlands has now ratified the agreement and the UK is expected to do so before the summer recess of parliament.

Italy is also expected to ratify the agreement after some unrelated issues were resolved.

The Commission is expected to present the framework for talks before its mandate ends in October.