Barroso noemt Kroatië een goed voorbeeld voor andere landen die EU-lidmaatschap ambiëren (en)

José Manuel Barroso

President of the European Commission

Parliament of Croatia

Zagreb, 16 February 2006

Honourable Members of Parliament,

Your Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I very much welcome this opportunity to address the Croatian Parliament. The timing is perfect, because EU-Croatia relations have now entered a new phase. Our partnership has stepped up a gear. Accession negotiations have been launched and assessments of Croatia's progress in adopting the body of EU law are already underway. In other words, the real work has begun.

With negotiations underway, there can be no doubt about our joint objective: full EU membership for Croatia. Negotiations were able to begin because Croatia was able to assure full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal. I am pleased that the EU too was able to fulfil its promise to Croatia to start negotiations once the conditions for opening were fulfilled.

How things progress from here is in your hands. Negotiations will proceed on the basis of Croatia's own merits and its ability to meet all the requirements for membership.

The membership conditions are well known. Continued progress is needed on what are known as the `Copenhagen' political and economic criteria. Commitments made as part of the Stabilisation and Association process need to be respected. This means maintaining full cooperation with The Hague and making progress on good, regional cooperation.

Alignment with EU rules needs to continue. The capacity to implement and enforce rules has to be reinforced. These are not arbitrary requirements. They reflect sound principles that any country, determined to face the future with confidence, would want to display. They reflect sensible policies that any country, determined to deliver prosperity and stability to its citizens, would want to adopt.

And the role of this Parliament is crucial. You have an important part to play on the whole range of issues which are integral to the accession process. From the political and economic reforms which are necessary, to the fine detail of the 35 negotiating chapters. Once the process begins to gather pace, the role of the Croatian Parliament will increase even further.

The Commission's experience during the fifth enlargement showed how important it is that candidate countries enjoy full cross-party participation, as well as a national consensus on European integration issues. I am sure that this Parliament, including its cross-party National Committee for the Supervision of Croatia's EU Membership Talks, and European Integration Committee, will play a valuable role in assuring that this happens.

It is also vital that the representatives of the people engage with the electorate about the issues at stake, and explain why they are important and in Croatia's own interest.

The negotiations will throw up a whole range of issues which will arouse fear and suspicion, real or imagined, in people's minds. It is important that we ease those concerns by emphasizing the facts. Let me give you an example. Under the chapter `free movement of capital', we have the issue of real estate purchases.

You are blessed with one of the most beautiful countries in Europe, so I can understand how easy it is to imagine huge numbers of EU citizens rushing to buy up the coastline. But the reality is that millions upon millions of tourists come on holiday to Croatia every year already. Only relatively few actually buy property here. And this is despite the fact that, for some years now, a majority of EU nationals have been able to buy property in Croatia.

Some people are concerned about the chapter on competition policy, which will soon be on the negotiating table. I was surprised to discover that Croatia spends a greater percentage of its national wealth on state aid to companies than any EU country!

Under its competition rules, the Commission does not ban state aid, but it does provide a framework for a more efficient and impartial allocation of taxpayers' money. It creates a level playing field which encourages healthy and fair competition.

After all, taxpayers do not want their money used to give one company an unfair advantage over another. They want resources efficiently targeted to maximise the creation of more wealth and jobs. This is what competition rules are for. Again, Croatia already has obligations in this area under the Stabilisation and Association Agreement. It needs to do more to meet these current obligations.

Another chapter of the negotiations that will soon be on the table concerns public procurement. Here too, we have a framework that allows for more efficient allocation of resources. Good public procurement rules are essential if citizens are to get value for money.

There are a number of other issues and chapters of the negotiations which will pose particular challenges, and I am sure that we will see a real commitment to solve them.

But nobody said negotiations for accession would be easy. It is a process which all acceding Member States, including my own, have had to go through. And they do it because it is in their long-term interest and it corresponds to the concrete interests of the citizens of each country.

Only with constant, intensive work by the Croatian authorities on legislative alignment, the building up of administrative capacity and correct enforcement, will the negotiations be able to proceed at a good pace. And the first step is to ensure the adoption of quality legislation. Good financial planning to make sure that the necessary resources are available in time is also vital.

Candidate countries are sometimes surprised by the level of scrutiny during the negotiations. But this is only natural as you get closer to the EU and we get closer to you. This means the Commission will continue to monitor and report on Croatia's progress towards meeting the requirements of membership. This monitoring is part of the Commission's formal responsibilities under the EU's Treaties.

As the focus in Croatia increasingly turns to sectoral issues under the "acquis" chapters, it is crucial not to neglect the key outstanding issues under the political criteria such as: the rights of minorities, refugee return, impartial prosecution of war crimes trials, media freedom, as well as cross-cutting issues such as judicial and public administration reform and fighting corruption.

In particular, removing discrimination and creating a climate more accepting of minorities is a crucial obligation for any society determined to build a stable and prosperous future for all its citizens.

The progress you make in these areas will make Croatia a leading example for the whole region. It will also smooth the ratification of the future Accession Treaty by EU parliaments and citizens.

The EU can only function properly when the rule of law applies. That is why more progress in Croatia on the reform of the judiciary and public administration, as well as the fight against corruption, is essential. This is first and foremost in order to improve the everyday lives of all Croatian citizens by guaranteeing their rights, and ensuring that justice prevails.

But these reforms are also necessary if Croatia is to fully benefit from EU policies as a Member State and adequately apply EU law. Deficiencies in these areas can have a knock-on effect on economic issues, as they hamper the development of the private sector, foreign investment, and enforcement of property and creditor rights.

On the economy, Croatia needs to consolidate its market economy status. It has to prepare itself to cope with the competitive pressures of the Union. It has to attract more foreign investment. But Croatia has already achieved a lot. Its macroeconomic policies have contributed to relatively low inflation and a stable exchange rate, and significant budget and current account deficits have been reduced. So there are solid foundations to build on.

I note there has been some negative reaction in Croatia to the idea of a regional free trade area. But the EU's own experience shows that regional trade integration brings great benefits. It can benefit Croatia too, by attracting investment, providing access to wider markets for Croatian goods and increasing stability in the region. It is not a substitute for accession; it is a fundamental part of European integration.

Let me conclude by saying that the opening of accession negotiations is often an occasion for galvanising the public imagination and securing political and administrative resources for reforms. I hope Croatia will seize this opportunity. I appreciate your ambition to make rapid progress in the negotiations. But if you are to succeed, you should not underestimate the extent of the work that needs to be undertaken.

Let me also stress the importance of all political parties engaging citizens on these issues; of allowing for an open debate; and of providing adequate information and avoiding unrealistic expectations.

A lot has been achieved already. Croatia has come a long way in a short period of time. And you can be proud of your achievements. But difficult challenges and a lot of hard work still lie ahead. I have no doubt that you in the Parliament will be kept very busy in the coming period. I can assure you that the Commission for its part will continue to assist Croatia in this process. This process is about building a new era for peace, stability and prosperity.

And when this process ends, and Croatia takes its rightful place at the heart of the European family, then not just Croatians, but all Europe's citizens will have reason to celebrate.

Thank you.