2008 cruciaal voor Kroatische toetredingsgesprekken (en)

The prospects for Croatia's EU accession negotiations in 2008 will be the focus of the 3rd meeting of the Working Group on Croatia, which takes place at the Committee of the Regions on Wednesday, 23 January (Room JDE 51, 9.30-17:00). Key participants will include Ambassador Branko Baricevic, Head of Mission to the EU, Neven Pelicaric, State Secretary of the Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Hannes Swoboda (AT/PES), European Parliament rapporteur on Croatia.

The meeting, to be opened by Isidoro Gottardo (IT/EPP), chairman of the working group and President of the EPP, will discuss local democracy reform, the Treaty of Lisbon's implications for enlargement and the potential benefits for candidate and neighbourhood countries created by the European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation , the new EU instrument aimed at facilitating the management of cross-border, transnational and regional projects such as economic development, environmental protection, mobility and healthcare services. In addition, the Working Group will facilitate twinning between regional and local authorities in Croatian and in the EU.

2008 will be a crucial year for Croatia's EU membership talks. The Committee of the Regions is keen to support and offer its advice on local democracy reform and implementation of accession's funds, mostly implemented at the local and regional level. The meeting will hear views from leading local politicians including Dubravka Suica, Mayor of Dubrovnik and Vice-President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Ante Sanader, Head of Split County, Zlatko Komadina, President of Primorsko-goranska County, Ivan Jakovcic, President of Istria County, and Davor Zmegac, member of the Presidency of the Asssociation of Croatian Cities.

Croatia started its EU accession talks in October 2005 and has so far opened 16 out of its 35-chapter negotiations package. It wants to finalise its negotiations early next year, with a view to joining the bloc in 2011. The CoR welcomes the progress that Croatia has made towards meeting the Copenhagen political criteria and the acquis communautaire, and in implementing the Stabilisation and Association Agreement.

The discussion on the European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC), taking place in the afternoon session, will include contributions by Jan Olbrycht (PL/EPP-ED), European Parliament rapporteur on EGTC.

The Committee of the Regions

Around two-thirds of EU legislation is implemented by local and regional authorities in Member States. The Committee of the Regions is a consultative body, which was created in 1994 to give representatives of local government a say over the content of these laws. The CoR organises five plenary sessions a year, where its 344 members vote on reports, known as opinions, issued in response to proposed legislation. The European Commission, which initiates EU laws, and the Council of Ministers, which determines the final content of the legislation (usually in tandem with the European Parliament), are obliged to consult the CoR on a wide range of policy areas including the environment, employment and transport.

For more information, please contact:

Dennis ABBOTT

Tel. +32 (0)2 282 20 99

Email: dennis.abbott@cor.europa.eu

Amélie COUSIN

Téléphone: +32 (0)2 282 22 70

Courriel: amelie.cousin@cor.europa.eu

Previous Press Releases issued by the Committee of the Regions