2013 Enlargement of the European Union - wikipedia 2013 Enlargement of the European Union Croatian EU accession bid Status Member state Opened chapters 33 Closed chapters 33 Website mvep.hr Statistics EU average Croatia PPP GDP ( $ M ) 552,780 106,548 PPP per capita ( $ ) 40,600 25,807 Area ( km ) 165,048 56,594 Population 18,583,598 4,284,889 The 2013 enlargement of the European Union saw Croatia join the European Union as its 28th member state on 1 July 2013. The country applied for EU membership in 2003, and the European Commission recommended making it an official candidate in early 2004. Candidate country status was granted to Croatia by the European Council in mid-2004. The entry negotiations, while originally set for March 2005, began in October that year together with the screening process. The accession process of Croatia was complicated by the insistence of Slovenia, an EU member state, that the two countries ' border issues be dealt with prior to Croatia 's accession to the EU. Croatian public opinion was generally supportive of the EU accession process, despite occasional spikes in euroscepticism. Croatia finished accession negotiations on 30 June 2011, and on 9 December 2011, signed the Treaty of Accession. A referendum on EU accession was held in Croatia on 22 January 2012, with 66 % of participants voting in favour of joining the Union. The ratification process was concluded on 21 June 2013, and entry into force and accession of Croatia to the EU took place on 1 July 2013. Contents 1 Accession requirements 1.1 Judicial reform and human rights 1.2 Co-operation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia 1.3 Border disagreements 1.4 Land ownership 1.5 Shipyard privatisation 2 Negotiation progress 3 Timeline 4 Date of accession 5 Remaining areas of inclusion 6 Free movement of persons and visa policy 6.1 Pre-accession entry arrangements for Croatian nationals travelling to EU member states 6.2 Post-accession access to free movement in other EU member states 6.3 Visa policy for third - country nationals 6.4 Visa requirements for Croatian nationals visiting third countries 6.5 Membership of the Schengen Area 6.6 Membership of the European Economic Area 7 Public opinion 8 See also 9 References 10 Further reading 11 External links Accession requirements Part of a series on the History of the European Union Timeline Pre-1945 ideas 1945 -- 1957 1958 -- 1972 1973 -- 1993 1993 -- 2004 2004 -- present Organisation European Communities ( 1958 -- 2009 ) European Coal and Steel Community ( 1952 -- 2002 ) European Economic Community ( 1958 -- 1993 ) European Atomic Energy Community ( 1958 -- present ) European Community ( 1993 -- 2009 ) Justice and Home Affairs ( 1993 -- 2003 ) Police and Judicial Co-operation in Criminal Matters ( 2003 -- 2009 ) Common Foreign and Security Policy pillar ( 1993 -- 2009 ) Western European Union ( 1954 -- 2011 ) Western Union ( 1948 -- 1954 ) Treaties Treaty of Paris 1951 Treaty of Rome 1957 Merger Treaty 1965 Single European Act 1986 Maastricht Treaty Amsterdam Treaty Treaty of Nice Treaty of Lisbon 2007 Commissions Hallstein Commission 1958 Rey Commission 1967 Malfatti Commission 1970 Mansholt Commission 1972 Ortoli Commission 1973 Jenkins Commission 1977 Thorn Commission 1981 Delors Commission 1985 Santer Commission Prodi Commission 1999 Barroso Commission Juncker Commission 2014 Topics History of Europe History of the euro History of defence integration History of enlargement List of presidents List of founders European Union portal Croatia This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Croatia Constitution Executive President ( list ) Kolinda Grabar - Kitarović Cabinet ( list ) Prime Minister : Andrej Plenković Legislative Sabor ( parliament ) Speaker : Gordan Jandroković Current members Opposition Leader : Davor Bernardić Judiciary Supreme Court Constitutional Court State 's Attorney Office National Judicial Council Political parties in Sabor Social Democratic Party ( SDP ) Croatian Democratic Union ( HDZ ) Croatian People 's Party -- Liberal Democrats ( HNS - LD ) Croatian Democratic Alliance of Slavonia and Baranja ( HDSSB ) Istrian Democratic Assembly ( IDS ) Croatian Party of Pensioners ( HSU ) Croatian Peasant Party ( HSS ) Bridge of Independent Lists ( MOST ) Croatian Social Liberal Party ( HSLS ) Independent Democratic Serb Party ( SDSS ) People 's Party - Reformists ( NS - R ) Human Shield ( ŽZ ) Milan Bandić 365 - The Party of Labour and Solidarity ( MB 365 ) Democratic Union of Hungarians of Croatia ( DZMH ) Elections and referendums Recent elections Presidential : 2009 -- 10 2014 -- 15 Parliamentary : 2015 2016 Local : 2013 2017 European : 2013 2014 Recent referendums 1991 ( independence ) 2012 ( EU membership ) 2013 ( constitution ) Administrative divisions Counties ( Županija ) Foreign relations Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs Diplomatic missions Passport Visa requirements Other countries Atlas Judicial reform and human Rights Accession requirements included : judicial reform to strengthen the independence, accountability, impartiality, professionalism and efficiency of the judiciary ; a crackdown on corruption and organised crime ( this resulted in the conviction of former Prime Minister Ivo Sanader for taking bribes ) ; strengthen the protection of minorities ; settle outstanding refugee return issues ; improve the protection of human rights. Cooperation with the international Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia Croatia had to extradite several of its citizens to the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia ( ICTY ), a United Nations body, an issue that was often contentious in domestic politics. Croatia 's relations with the ICTY had continually been cited by the EU officials as something that required further improvement. Ratification of the EU Stabilisation and Association Agreement with Croatia had been stalled because of this. The European Council, after its summit of 20 December 2004, set the following 17 March as the date to start entry negotiations, provided that Croatia continued to co-operate fully with the ICTY. On 16 March 2005, the day before talks were to begin, the EU postponed the commencement of negotiations, because the ICTY prosecution assessed the Croatian efforts to capture the fugitive general Ante Gotovina ( indicted by the ICTY for war crimes and crimes against humanity, but at large since 2001 ) as neither timely nor sufficient. On 7 December 2005, the Spanish police finally arrested Ante Gotovina with the help of the Croatian government on the Spanish island of Tenerife, located in the Canary Islands. He was brought to The Hague to be tried for war crimes. With the arrest of Ante Gotovina this issue was resolved, and entry negotiations began anew, after the certification of ICTY chief prosecutor Carla Del Ponte that Croatia now fully cooperated with the ICTY. In April 2011, Croatian generals Gotovina and Markač were given extended prison sentences at the ICTY, which was widely perceived as unjust in the Croatian public. This caused a marked increase in opposition to the accession because, in the past, some countries like the Netherlands, conditioned their support for the Croatia 's accession process with the continued Croatian co-operation with the ICTY. On 16 November 2012, the ICTY Appeals Chamber acquitted generals Gotovina and Markač and ordered their immediate release. Border disagreements Main article : Croatia -- Slovenia border disputes Croatia has had long - standing border issues with Slovenia, especially over the Piran Bay boundary. Between December 2008 and September -- October 2009, Slovenia blocked Croatia 's EU accession over these border issues. On 6 June 2010, Slovenia voted to accept the ruling of United Nation arbitrators on the dispute, removing this obstacle. Croatia has border disputes with Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro, but these countries are not European Union members and can not directly block the accession process. In December 2008, Croatia and Montenegro agreed that the outstanding sea border issue between the two countries should be settled before an international court whose decision would be accepted in advance by the parliaments of the two countries. Land ownership Free acquisition of real estate by foreigners is a sensitive issue in Croatia. This matter particularly concerns Italians, especially in Istria. While it has some ties with Italy, the events surrounding World War II, when Istria changed hands between the Kingdom of Italy and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, remain pertinent. Numerous Italian politicians expressed their discontent concerning the inability of Italians to purchase land in Croatia, considering it discriminatory treatment and stating that the issue should be resolved as soon as possible. Croatia subsequently denied any discrimination, and said that Croatian legislation provided for the same treatment of all EU citizens concerning land ownership. In mid-2006, Croatia and Italy came to an agreement allowing Italian citizens to purchase land in Croatia and Croatian citizens to purchase land in Italy. Other EU members had to resolve similar issues before their accession to the EU. Examples of this include Slovenia, Slovakia, Poland, and especially Malta. Shipyard privatisation Croatia was required to stop subsidising its shipbuilding industry, resulting in privatisations, closures and reduced production capacity. Negotiation progress Croatia applied for EU membership in 2003, and the European Commission recommended making it an official candidate in early 2004. Candidate country status was granted to Croatia by the European Council ( the EU 's heads of state and / or government ) in mid-2004, but the date for the beginning of entry negotiations, while originally set for March 2005, was put off. In early March 2005, Croatia was formally warned by the EU that its failure to arrest the war crimes suspect Ante Gotovina would jeopardise the country 's chances of starting the accession talks, in spite of Croatia insisting it was doing everything it could to find and arrest the fugitive and claiming that Gotovina was no longer in Croatia. In fact, the talks started in October 2005, shortly before Gotovina 's arrest in Spain, which occurred in early December that year and was hailed by the EU as an important turning point for the whole region, as it turned `` the page from the nationalist past to a European future ''. Before the start of negotiations with Croatia, the acquis was divided into 35 chapters, 4 more than the usual 31 ; the new chapters, previously part of the agricultural policy, are areas expected to be troublesome, as they were with the other applicants. Following the opening of accession negotiations on 3 October 2005, the process of screening 35 acquis chapters with Croatia was completed on 18 October 2006. Negotiations had been restrained for ten months because of a border dispute between Croatia and Slovenia. In September 2009 it was announced that Slovenia would remove restraints on Croatia 's negotiations with the EU without prejudice to the international mediation on the border dispute. Acquis chapter EC assessment at start Current situation Screening started Screening completed Chapter frozen Chapter unfrozen Chapter opened Chapter closed 1. Free Movement of Goods Considerable efforts needed Generally aligned with the acquis 2006 - 01 - 16 2006 - 02 - 24 -- -- 2008 - 07 - 25 2010 - 04 - 19 2. Freedom of Movement For Workers Considerable efforts needed Generally aligned with the acquis 2006 - 07 - 19 2006 - 09 - 11 -- -- 2008 - 06 - 17 2009 - 10 - 02 3. Right of Establishment & Freedom To Provide Services Considerable efforts needed Generally aligned with the acquis 2005 - 11 - 21 2005 - 12 - 20 -- -- 2007 - 06 - 26 2009 - 12 - 21 4. Free Movement of Capital Further efforts needed Generally aligned with the acquis 2005 - 11 - 25 2005 - 12 - 22 2008 -- 12 2009 -- 10 2009 - 10 - 02 2010 - 11 - 05 5. Public Procurement Considerable efforts needed Generally aligned with the acquis 2005 - 11 - 07 2005 - 11 - 28 -- -- 2008 - 12 - 19 2010 - 06 - 30 6. Company Law Further efforts needed Generally aligned with the acquis 2006 - 06 - 21 2006 - 07 - 20 2008 -- 12 2009 -- 10 2007 - 06 - 26 2009 - 10 - 02 7. Intellectual Property Law No major difficulties expected Generally aligned with the acquis 2006 - 02 - 06 2006 - 03 - 03 -- -- 2007 - 03 - 29 2008 - 12 - 19 8. Competition Policy Considerable efforts needed Generally aligned with the acquis 2005 - 11 - 08 2005 - 12 - 02 -- -- 2010 - 06 - 30 2011 - 06 - 30 9. Financial Services Considerable efforts needed Generally aligned with the acquis 2006 - 03 - 29 2006 - 05 - 03 -- -- 2007 - 06 - 26 2009 - 11 - 27 10. Information Society & Media No major difficulties expected Generally aligned with the acquis 2006 - 06 - 12 2006 - 07 - 14 -- -- 2007 - 07 - 26 2008 - 12 - 19 11. Agriculture & Rural Development Considerable efforts needed Generally aligned with the acquis 2005 - 12 - 05 2006 - 01 - 26 2008 -- 12 2009 -- 10 2009 - 10 - 02 2011 - 04 - 19 12. Food Safety, Veterinary & Phytosanitary Policy Considerable efforts needed Generally aligned with the acquis 2006 - 03 - 09 2006 - 04 - 28 2008 -- 12 2009 -- 10 2009 - 10 - 02 2010 - 07 - 27 13. Fisheries Further efforts needed Generally aligned with the acquis 2006 - 02 - 24 2006 - 03 - 31 2008 -- 12 2010 -- 02 2010 - 02 - 19 2011 - 06 - 06 14. Transport Policy Further efforts needed Generally aligned with the acquis 2006 - 06 - 26 2006 - 09 - 28 -- -- 2008 - 04 - 21 2010 - 11 - 05 15. Energy Further efforts needed Generally aligned with the acquis 2006 - 05 - 15 2006 - 06 - 16 -- -- 2008 - 04 - 21 2009 - 11 - 27 16. Taxation Considerable efforts needed Generally aligned with the acquis 2006 - 06 - 06 2006 - 07 - 12 2008 -- 12 2009 -- 10 2009 - 10 - 02 2010 - 06 - 30 17. Economic & Monetary Policy No major difficulties expected Generally aligned with the acquis 2006 - 02 - 16 2006 - 03 - 23 -- -- 2006 - 12 - 21 2008 - 12 - 19 18. Statistics No major difficulties expected Generally aligned with the acquis 2006 - 06 - 19 2006 - 07 - 18 2008 -- 12 2009 -- 10 2007 - 06 - 26 2009 - 10 - 02 19. Social Policy & Employment Considerable efforts needed Generally aligned with the acquis 2006 - 02 - 08 2006 - 03 - 22 -- -- 2008 - 06 - 17 2009 - 12 - 21 20. Enterprise & Industrial Policy No major difficulties expected Generally aligned with the acquis 2006 - 03 - 27 2006 - 05 - 05 -- -- 2006 - 12 - 21 2008 - 07 - 25 21. Trans - European Networks No major difficulties expected Generally aligned with the acquis 2006 - 06 - 30 2006 - 09 - 29 2008 -- 12 2009 -- 10 2007 - 12 - 19 2009 - 10 - 02 22. Regional Policy & Coordination of Structural Instruments Considerable efforts needed Generally aligned with the acquis 2006 - 09 - 11 2006 - 10 - 10 2008 -- 12 2009 -- 10 2009 - 10 - 02 2011 - 04 - 19 23. Judiciary & Fundamental Rights Considerable efforts needed Generally aligned with the acquis 2006 - 09 - 06 2006 - 10 - 13 -- -- 2010 - 06 - 30 2011 - 06 - 30 24. Justice, Freedom & Security Considerable efforts needed Generally aligned with the acquis 2006 - 01 - 23 2006 - 02 - 15 2008 -- 12 2009 -- 10 2009 - 10 - 02 2010 - 12 - 22 25. Science & Research No major difficulties expected Generally aligned with the acquis 2005 - 10 - 20 2005 - 11 - 14 -- -- 2006 - 06 - 12 2006 - 06 - 12 26. Education & Culture No major difficulties expected Generally aligned with the acquis 2005 - 10 - 26 2005 - 11 - 16 -- -- 2006 - 12 - 11 2006 - 12 - 11 27. Environment Totally incompatible with acquis Generally aligned with the acquis 2006 - 04 - 03 2006 - 06 - 02 2008 -- 12 2010 -- 02 2010 - 02 - 19 2010 - 12 - 22 28. Consumer & Health Protection Further efforts needed Generally aligned with the acquis 2006 - 06 - 08 2006 - 07 - 11 -- -- 2007 - 10 - 12 2009 - 11 - 27 29. Customs Union Further efforts needed Generally aligned with the acquis 2006 - 01 - 31 2006 - 03 - 14 2008 -- 12 2009 -- 10 2006 - 12 - 21 2009 - 10 - 02 30. External Relations No major difficulties expected Generally aligned with the acquis 2006 - 07 - 10 2006 - 09 - 13 -- -- 2007 - 10 - 12 2008 - 10 - 30 31. Foreign, Security & Defence Policy No major difficulties expected Generally aligned with the acquis 2006 - 09 - 14 2006 - 10 - 06 2008 -- 12 2010 -- 04 2010 - 06 - 30 2010 - 12 - 22 32. Financial Control Further efforts needed Generally aligned with the acquis 2006 - 05 - 18 2006 - 06 - 30 -- -- 2007 - 06 - 26 2010 - 07 - 27 33. Financial & Budgetary Provisions No major difficulties expected Generally aligned with the acquis 2006 - 09 - 06 2006 - 10 - 04 -- -- 2007 - 12 - 19 2011 - 06 - 30 34. Institutions Nothing to adopt -- -- -- -- -- 2010 - 11 - 05 2010 - 11 - 05 35. Other Issues Nothing to adopt -- -- -- -- -- 2011 - 06 - 30 2011 - 06 - 30 Progress 33 out of 33 33 out of 33 13 out of 33 13 out of 13 35 out of 35 35 out of 35 Timeline Date Event 1998 - 03 - 04 Ministry of European Integration formed within the Croatian Government. 2001 - 10 - 29 Croatia signs the Stabilisation and Association Agreement ( SAA ). 2003 - 02 - 21 Formal application for membership submitted. 2003 - 10 - 09 Croatia submits answers to the Commission 's Questionnaire. 2004 - 04 - 20 European Commission replies to the answers with a positive opinion ( Avis ). 2004 - 06 - 18 Croatia receives official candidate status. 2004 - 12 - 20 European Council sets the date for the entry negotiations to begin 2005 - 03 - 17. 2005 - 02 - 01 SAA comes into force. 2005 - 03 - 16 Negotiations postponed. 2005 - 10 - 04 Beginning of negotiations ( shortly after midnight in Luxembourg ). 2005 - 10 - 20 Beginning of the screening process. 2006 - 06 - 12 1 chapter is opened & closed : Science & Research. 2006 - 06 - 28 2 chapters are opened : Competition Policy and Customs Union. 2006 - 07 - 20 1 chapter is opened : Social Policy & Employment. 2006 - 12 - 11 1 chapter is opened & closed : Education & Culture. 2007 - 03 - 29 1 chapter is opened : Intellectual Property Law. 2007 - 06 - 26 6 chapters are opened : Company Law, Financial Control, Financial Services, Information Society & Media, Right of Establishment & Freedom To Provide Services, and Statistics. 2007 - 10 - 12 2 chapters are opened : Consumer & Health Protection and External Relations. 2007 - 12 - 20 2 chapters are opened : Trans - European Networks and Financial & Budgetary Provisions. 2008 - 04 - 21 2 chapters are opened : Energy and Transport Policy. 2008 - 06 - 17 2 chapters are opened : Freedom of Movement For Workers and Social Policy & Employment. 2008 - 07 - 25 1 chapter is opened : Free Movement of Goods. 1 chapter is closed : Enterprise & Industrial Policy. 2008 - 10 - 30 1 chapter is closed : External Relations. 2008 - 12 - 19 1 chapter is opened : Public Procurement. 3 chapters are closed : Economic & Monetary Policy, Information Society & Media, and Intellectual Property Law. 2009 - 04 - 23 EU calls off talks with Croatia due to the latter having a border dispute with Slovenia over the Bay of Piran. 2009 - 09 - 11 Slovenia agrees on an immediate ending of its blockade of Croatia 's EU accession & further negotiation of the Gulf of Piran border dispute between the 2 countries. 2009 - 10 - 02 Croatia closed 5 chapters & opened 6. Chapters that were closed : Company Law, Customs Union, Freedom of Movement of Workers, Statistics, and Trans - European Networks. 2009 - 11 - 27 3 chapters are closed : Consumer & Health Protection, Energy, and Financial Services. 2009 - 12 - 21 2 chapters are closed : Right of Establishment & Freedom To Provide Services and Social Policy & Employment. 2010 - 02 - 19 2 chapters are opened : Environment & Fisheries. 2010 - 04 - 19 1 chapter is closed : Free Movement of Goods. 2010 - 06 - 30 2 chapters are closed : Taxation and Public Procurement. 3 chapters are opened : Foreign, Security & Defence Policy, Judiciary & Fundamental Rights, and Competition Policy. 2010 - 07 - 27 2 chapters are closed : Food Safety, Veterinary & Phytosanitary Policy and Financial Control. 2010 - 11 - 05 3 chapters are closed : Institutions, Transport Policy and Free Movement of Capital. 2010 - 12 - 22 3 chapters are closed : 24. Justice, Freedom & Security, 27. Environment and 31. Foreign, Security & Defence Policy. 2011 - 04 - 19 2 chapters are closed : 11. Agriculture & Rural Development, 22. Regional Policy & Coordination of Structural Instruments 2011 - 06 - 06 1 chapter is closed : 13. Fisheries 2011 - 06 - 10 Commission recommends closing of the negotiations and sets 2013 - 07 - 01 as target entry date 2011 - 06 - 24 European Council calls for finishing negotiations by the end of June and signing of the Treaty of Accession by the end of 2011 2011 - 06 - 30 End of accession negotiations. Final 4 chapters are closed : 8. Competition Policy, 23. Judiciary & Fundamental Rights, 33. Financial & Budgetary Provisions and 35. Other Issues. 2011 - 10 - 12 Commission adopts a favourable opinion on Croatia 's accession to the EU 2011 - 12 - 01 European Parliament approves Croatia 's entry to the EU. 2011 - 12 - 09 Croatia and the 27 Member States of the European Union sign the EU accession treaty. 2012 - 01 - 22 EU accession referendum held in Croatia, 66.25 % voted in favour, 33.13 % against. About 47 % of eligible voters took part in the referendum. 2012 - 02 - 01 Parliament of Slovakia unanimously ratifies Croatian accession treaty. 2012 - 02 - 13 National Assembly of Hungary ratifies Croatian accession treaty. 2012 - 02 - 17 Parliament of Bulgaria ratifies Croatian accession treaty. 2012 - 03 - 01 Parliament of Italy ratifies Croatian accession treaty. 2012 - 03 - 05 Parliament of Malta unanimously ratifies Croatian accession treaty. 2012 - 03 - 09 Croatian Parliament unanimously ratifies Croatia 's EU accession treaty. 2012 - 03 - 22 Parliament of Latvia unanimously ratifies Croatian accession treaty. 2012 - 04 - 26 Parliament of Lithuania ratifies Croatian accession treaty. 2012 - 05 - 03 Parliament of Cyprus unanimously ratifies Croatian accession treaty. 2012 - 06 - 08 Parliament of the Czech Republic ratifies Croatian accession treaty. 2012 - 06 - 26 Parliament of Romania unanimously ratifies Croatian accession treaty. 2012 - 06 - 27 Oireachtas of Ireland ratifies Croatian accession treaty. 2012 - 07 - 04 Parliament of Austria ratifies Croatian accession treaty. 2012 - 09 - 12 Parliament of Estonia unanimously ratifies Croatian accession treaty. 2012 - 09 - 14 Sejm of Poland ratifies accession treaty. 2012 - 09 - 21 Assembly of the Republic of Portugal ratifies accession treaty. 2012 - 10 - 10 Chambers of Deputies of Luxembourg unanimously ratifies Croatian accession treaty. 2012 - 10 - 24 Cortes Generales of Spain unanimously ratifies Croatian accession treaty. 2012 - 10 - 30 Parliament of Greece ratifies Croatian accession treaty. 2012 - 11 - 07 The Swedish Riksdag ratifies Croatian accession treaty. 2012 - 12 - 18 Parliament of Finland ratifies Croatian accession treaty. 2013 - 01 - 15 Senate of France unanimously ratifies Croatian accession treaty. 2013 - 01 - 17 National Assembly of France unanimously ratifies Croatian accession treaty. 2013 - 01 - 24 Chamber of Representatives of Belgium ratifies Croatian accession treaty. 2013 - 01 - 31 Parliament of the United Kingdom ratifies Croatian accession treaty. 2013 - 02 - 05 House of Representatives of the Netherlands passes the approval law for the Croatian accession treaty. 2013 - 03 - 07 Croatian and Slovenian governments reach an agreement on Ljubljanska Banka. The Slovenian government starts the process of ratification. 2013 - 04 - 02 Parliament of Slovenia unanimously ratifies Croatian accession treaty. 2013 - 04 - 14 Croatian European Parliament election 2013 - 04 - 16 Senate of the Netherlands ratifies Croatian accession treaty. 2013 - 05 - 02 Parliament of Denmark unanimously ratifies Croatian accession treaty. 2013 - 05 - 16 Bundestag of Germany ratifies Croatian accession treaty. 2013 - 06 - 07 Bundesrat of Germany unanimously ratifies Croatian accession treaty. 2013 - 06 - 21 The ratification process was completed upon the depositing of the German ratification instruments with the Government of Italy. 2013 - 07 - 01 Croatia joins the EU. Date of accession Originally Croatia had been aiming for a 2007 accession date, which would have broken Slovakia 's record of 2.5 years of negotiations to complete the process. However, negotiations turned out to be tougher than expected. On 5 November 2008, the European Commission 's annual progress report on Croatia 's candidacy was published. Olli Rehn stated that the country should aim to complete accession negotiations by the end of 2009, with membership following by 2011 at the latest. In 2009 it was also reported that Iceland may be fast - tracked into the European Union, and Rehn said that `` the EU prefers two countries joining at the same time rather than individually. If Iceland applies shortly and the negotiations are rapid, Croatia and Iceland could join the EU in parallel ''. The last non-acquis hurdle to membership, the maritime border dispute with Slovenia, was overcome in November 2009. Croatia ultimately finished its accession negotiations on 30 June 2011, and signed the Treaty of Accession 2011 in Brussels on 9 December 2011 ; followed by approval of it by a national referendum on 22 January 2012 and completing their ratification process on 4 April 2012. Entry into force and accession of Croatia to the EU took place on 1 July 2013, as all 27 EU members and Croatia have ratified the treaty before this date. The accession took place at a time of economic difficulty with Croatia in a fifth year of recession with 21 % unemployment, and amid the European sovereign - debt crisis. As Croatia joined the EU, it exited the Central European Free Trade Agreement ( CEFTA ). Remaining areas of Inclusion Croatia became a member on 1 July 2013, but some areas of cooperation in the European Union will apply to Croatia at a later date. These are : Freedom of movement for workers in the European Union, seven year transition period. ( Restrictions expire 1 July 2020 ) Schengen Area ( see Enlargement of the Schengen Area ) Eurozone ( see Enlargement of the eurozone ) Passports of the European Union ( see Croatian passport still does not follow the EU common passport design with burgundy coloured covers ) European Economic Area ( see Enlargement of the European Economic Area ) Free Movement of persons and visa Policy Pre-accession entry arrangements for Croatian nationals travelling to EU member states Before accession to the European Union, Croatia was categorised as an Annex II country, which meant that Croatian citizens could stay in the Schengen Area without a visa for up to 90 days in a 180 - day period. Croatian citizens were also able to stay without a visa in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland and Romania for up to 90 days in each country, as well as in the United Kingdom for up to 6 months. The general rule was that non-EU citizens had to use a passport to enter EU member states. However, there was an exception to the Schengen Agreement rules for Croatian citizens. Based on the pre-Schengen bilateral agreements between Croatia and neighbouring EU countries ( Italy, Hungary and Slovenia ), Croatian citizens were allowed to cross the border with only a Croatian national identity card ( a passport was not obligatory ). Many people living near the border crossed it several times a day ( some work across the border, or own land on the other side of the border ), especially on the border with Slovenia, which was unmarked for centuries as Croatia and Slovenia were both part of the Habsburg Empire ( 1527 -- 1918 ) and Yugoslavia ( 1918 -- 1991 ). Prior to Croatia 's accession to the EU on 1 July 2013, an interim solution, which received permission from the European Commission, was found : every Croatian citizen was allowed to cross the Schengen border into Hungary, Italy or Slovenia with an ID card and a special border card that was issued by Croatian police at border exit control. The police authorities of Hungary, Italy or Slovenia would then stamp the special border card both on entry and exit. Croatian citizens, however, were not allowed to enter any other Schengen Agreement countries without a valid passport, although they were allowed to travel between Hungary, Italy and Slovenia. These arrangements were discontinued on 1 July 2013 when Croatia became an EU member state. Since then, Croatian citizens have been able to enter any EU member state using only an ID card. Post-accession access to free Movement in other EU member states Further information : Citizens ' Rights Directive and Freedom of movement for workers in the European Union Freedom of movement of Croatian citizens within EU / EEA / CH Croatia EU member states with free labour market access for Croatian citizens since accession Other EEA member states with free labour market access for Croatian citizens EU member states with labour market restrictions for Croatian citizens at least until 1 July 2018 Switzerland and Liechtenstein impose permanent labour market restrictions for Croatian citizens On 1 July 2013, Croatian nationals became European Union citizens and acquired the right to move and reside freely in other EU member states, as well as in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. On the same day, 14 EU member states ( Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Sweden ) allowed Croatian nationals to work without restrictions in their country. However, 13 other EU member states imposed transitional restrictions on Croatian nationals wishing to access their labour markets. Annex V of the Treaty concerning the accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union allows member states to apply national measures regulating Croatian nationals ' access to their labour markets for a period of up to five years, and in case of serious disturbance to their labour markets or the threat thereof, and after notifying the Commission, for a further two years ( i.e. up to a maximum of seven years in total ). Croatian nationals who on 1 July 2013 had already resided in an EU member state for a continuous period of at least 5 years acquired the right of permanent residence ( meaning that they could work without any restrictions in their host EU member state ), as long as during their continuous residence of 5 years they were a worker, self - employed person, self - sufficient person, student or family member accompanying or joining an EU / EEA / Swiss citizen. On 1 July 2013, non-EU / EEA / Swiss citizens who were family members of a Croatian national and accompanying or joining him / her also acquired the right to move and reside freely in other EU member states. Establishment of rights of EU nationals of Croatia to work in another EU member state Another EU member state Croatia Bulgaria 1 July 2013 Romania 1 July 2013 Finland 1 July 2013 Sweden 1 July 2013 Estonia 1 July 2013 Latvia 1 July 2013 Lithuania 1 July 2013 Poland 1 July 2013 Czech Republic 1 July 2013 Slovakia 1 July 2013 Portugal 1 July 2013 Denmark 1 July 2013 Hungary 1 July 2013 Ireland 1 July 2013 France 1 July 2015 Germany 1 July 2015 Spain 1 July 2015 Belgium 1 July 2015 Luxembourg 1 July 2015 Cyprus 1 July 2015 Greece 1 July 2015 Italy 1 July 2015 Malta 26 January 2018 Slovenia 1 July 2018 Austria 1 July 2020 United Kingdom 1 July 2018 Netherlands 1 July 2018 Visa Policy for third - country nationals Further information : Visa policy of the European Union In the run up to accession to the European Union, Croatia aligned its visa policy with that of the European Union. As a result of the new visa regime, some third - country nationals ( such as Russian and Turkish nationals ) who were previously temporarily exempt from having to obtain a visa to visit Croatia were now subject to a visa requirement. However, to mitigate the effect of the re-imposition of a visa regime on tourist numbers, the Croatian government has introduced a ' facilitated entry of aliens ' procedure, exempting travellers who have a Schengen visa or residence permit from having to obtain an additional Croatian visa to visit Croatia until 31 December 2013. In addition, the Croatian government has extended the working hours and capacity of its foreign missions in countries such as Russia and Ukraine to ensure that applications for Croatian visas are processed more efficiently. Visa requirements for Croatian nationals visiting third countries Main article : Visa requirements for Croatian citizens Upon Croatia 's accession to the European Union on 1 July 2013, several countries and territories outside the European Union aligned the visa requirements imposed on Croatian citizens with those imposed on other EU citizens. For example, on 1 July 2013, Hong Kong SAR extended the visa - free period of stay for Croatian citizens from 14 days to 90 days in line with the visa - free period of stay granted to other EU citizens, whilst New Zealand introduced a 90 - day visa exemption for Croatian citizens. It is likely that these countries and territories amended their visa policy for Croatian citizens because of the European Union 's visa reciprocity mechanism. However, other countries such as Barbados, Brunei, and the United States have not amended their visa policies to harmonise their treatment of Croatian citizens and other EU citizens. Membership of the Schengen Area During June 2011 Croatia began with implementation of the projects and reforms required to join the Schengen Area by 2015. By joining the Schengen Area, border checks will be eliminated at the land border with Hungary and Slovenia, as well as at airports and ports for flights and ships to / from Schengen member states, thus facilitating the freer movement of persons between Croatia and the rest of the Schengen Area. Membership of the European Economic Area Main article : European Economic Area § Future enlargement Croatia 's accession to the EU obliges them to apply for membership in the European Economic Area ( EEA ). The Croatian government submitted their application on 13 September 2012, and membership negotiations started 15 March 2013 with the aim to enlarge both the EU and the EEA on the same date, 1 July 2013. However, this was not achieved. On 11 April 2014, the EU and its member states ( including Croatia ), Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein signed an agreement concerning the accession of Croatia to the EEA. It is yet to be ratified, but is provisionally applied with regards to Croatia. As of June 2017, the agreement has been ratified by 17 out of 32 parties. Public opinion See also : Croatian European Union membership referendum, 2012 § Opinion polls Croatian public opinion was divided on EU accession. Opinion polling for the EU referendum showed the population was mostly in favour of joining. Public support ranged from a high of 80 % to lows of 26 -- 38 %. Political analyst Višeslav Raos cited the economic problems within the EU among the factors : `` ( Croatians ) know that the European Union is not a remedy to all economic and social problems. So the EU itself is in a sort of crisis, and that reflects on Croatia 's accession. '' The government announced an information campaign to reverse the drop in support. A referendum was held in Croatia on 22 January 2012 on joining the European Union, and the result was 66 % approval to join, though the turnout was low at 43.51 %. See also Croatia and the euro 1995 enlargement of the European Union 2004 enlargement of the European Union 2007 enlargement of the European Union Enlargement of the European Union Yugoslavia and the European Economic Community References Jump up ^ `` Negotiations Chapters ''. Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Croatia. Retrieved 27 July 2010. ^ Jump up to : `` EU closes accession negotiations with Croatia ''. European Commission. 30 June 2011. Retrieved 30 June 2011. ^ Jump up to : `` Croats say ' yes ' to EU membership Europe DW.DE 22.01. 2012 ''. Dw-world.de. Retrieved 3 April 2012. ^ Jump up to : Independent Newspapers Online ( 23 December 2011 ). `` Croatia sets date for EU referendum ''. Iol.co.za. Retrieved 3 April 2012. ^ Jump up to : `` Croatian parliament calls EU referendum for January 22 ''. Focus-fen.net. Retrieved 3 April 2012. ^ Jump up to : `` Parl 't decides that EU referendum will be held on 22 January ''. Daily.tportal.hr. Retrieved 3 April 2012. Jump up ^ `` EU Summit : Accession Treaty with Croatia to be signed in 2011 ''. eu2011.hu. 27 June 2011. Archived from the original on 30 June 2011. Retrieved 30 June 2011. Jump up ^ `` INTERIM REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL AND THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ON REFORMS IN CROATIA IN THE FIELD OF JUDICIARY AND FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS ( NEGOTIATION CHAPTER 23 ) '' ( PDF ). Retrieved 30 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` Croatia sees breakthrough in EU talks ''. EurActiv. 21 June 2010. Retrieved 14 June 2012. Jump up ^ `` Appeals Chamber Acquits and Orders Release of Ante Gotovina and Mladen Markač ''. ICTY. 16 November 2012. Retrieved 16 November 2012. Jump up ^ `` Slovenia backs Croatia border deal in referendum vote ''. BBC News. 6 June 2010. Retrieved 7 June 2010. Jump up ^ `` Croatia, Montenegro agree sea border issue should be settled before international court ''. Croatian Government. 12 March 2008. Archived from the original on 17 July 2009. Retrieved 27 December 2009. Jump up ^ `` Little enthusiasm for EU at Croatia 's sinking shipyards ''. Irish Times. 27 June 2013. Retrieved 30 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` State aid : Commission approves changes to restructuring plan of Croatian shipyard 3. Maj ''. European Commission. 19 June 2013. Retrieved 30 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` EU warns Croatia over talks date ''. BBC News. 2 March 2005. Retrieved 31 January 2015. Jump up ^ `` Croatia 's EU hopes dashed again ''. BBC News. 26 April 2005. Retrieved 31 January 2015. Jump up ^ `` EU hails Croat fugitive 's arrest ''. BBC News. 9 December 2005. Retrieved 31 January 2015. Jump up ^ `` Ec.europa.eu ''. Europa ( web portal ). Retrieved 7 January 2011. Jump up ^ `` Slovenia agrees breakthrough in Croatia 's EU talks ''. EURACTIV. 11 September 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2018. Jump up ^ `` Slovenia unblocks Croatian EU bid ''. BBC News. 11 September 2009. Archived from the original on 15 September 2009. Retrieved 12 September 2009. ^ Jump up to : Excluding Chapters 34 ( Institutions ) and 35 ( Other Issues ) since these are not legislation chapters. Jump up ^ In this case Chapters 34 and 35 are taken into account as also if they had not been provisionally opened, they have to be closed the same Jump up ^ Prime Minister Kosor meets with EU delegation head Vandoren 17 January 2011, Government of the Republic Croatia. Retrieved 24 January 2011 Jump up ^ `` Vlada : 6 / predsjednik Vlade : Mr. sc. Zlatko Mateša ''. Hidran.hidra.hr. Retrieved 11 June 2010. Jump up ^ `` Hrvatska zatvara poglavlja Poljoprivreda i Regionalna politika ''. Jump up ^ `` Croatia 's EU accession : green light from Parliament ''. European Parliament. Retrieved 1 December 2011. Jump up ^ Jovana Gec / Slobodan Lekic ( 9 December 2011 ). `` Croatia signs EU accession treaty ''. Associated Press. Retrieved 9 January 2012. ^ Jump up to : `` Agreement details ''. Council of the European Union. Retrieved 15 August 2012. Jump up ^ `` NRSR : Snemovňa vyslovila súhlas so vstupom Chorvátska do EÚ '' ( National Council of Slovak Republic passed the EU Accession Treaty of Croatia ). National Council of Slovak Republic. Retrieved 1 February 2012. Jump up ^ `` Hungarian parliament ratifies Croatia 's EU Accession Treaty ''. Jump up ^ `` Bulgarian Parliament ratifies Croatia 's EU accession treaty ''. Jump up ^ `` Sì all'adesione Croazia a Ue. D'Andrea, passo avanti per integrazione ''. Jump up ^ Chamber of Deputies. `` DDL n. 4935 '' ( in Italian ). Jump up ^ Italian Senate. `` Disegno di legge n. 3155 '' ( in Italian ). Jump up ^ `` Maltese Parliament ratifies Croatia 's EU accession treaty ''. Jump up ^ `` Peta od 27 : I Malta ratificirala Ugovor o pristupanju Republike Hrvatske Evropskoj uniji '' ( 5th of 27 : Malta ratifies Treaty of Accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union ) ( in Croatian ). Retrieved 7 March 2012. Jump up ^ `` Sabor ratifies EU Accession Treaty ''. Retrieved 28 March 2012. Jump up ^ `` Latvian parliament approves of Croatia 's membership in EU '' ( in Latvian ). Retrieved 31 March 2012. Jump up ^ `` The Seimas Ratified the Treaty concerning the Accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union ''. Retrieved 26 April 2012. Jump up ^ `` Cyprus parliament approves of Croatia 's membership in EU ''. Jump up ^ `` The Estonian parliament ratified Croatia 's Accession Treaty -- Current Events -- Croatia ''. Dalje. 12 September 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` Poland ratifies Croatia 's EU Accession Treaty ''. Daily. 14 September 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` Portugal ratifies Croatia 's EU Accession Treaty ''. Daily. 21 September 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` Luxembourg ratifies Croatia 's EU accession treaty ''. Daily. Retrieved 30 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` Španjolski parlament ratificirao hrvatski pristupni ugovor, još se čeka kraljev pristanak ''. Dnevnik. 25 October 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` Grčki parlament ratificirao pristupni ugovor ''. Slobodna Dalmacija. Retrieved 30 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` Login ''. www.swedenabroad.com. Retrieved 5 September 2017. Jump up ^ `` Finland ratifies Croatia 's EU Accession Treaty -- Europe -- Around the globe ''. Dalje. 18 December 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` Adhésion de la Croatie à l'Union européenne ''. Senat. 30 January 2013. Retrieved 30 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` Bill stages -- European Union ( Croatian Accession and Irish Protocol ) Act 2013 ''. UK Parliament. Retrieved 30 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` ' Court suits put on hold, immediate ratification launched ' ''. Daily. Retrieved 30 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` Dutch parliament completes ratification of Croatia 's EU accession treaty ''. Dalje. 16 April 2013. Retrieved 30 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Croatia -- Denmark Unanimously ratifies Croatia 's Accession Agreement ''. Delhrv. Retrieved 30 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` Njemačka ratificirala hrvatski pristupni ugovor ''. Dalje. Retrieved 30 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` Google Translate ''. Translate.google.com. Retrieved 30 June 2013. Jump up ^ Traynor, Ian ( 5 November 2008 ). `` Croatia given timetable for EU entry ''. The Guardian. London. Retrieved 5 November 2008. Jump up ^ Traynor, Ian ( 30 January 2009 ). `` Iceland to be fast - tracked into the EU ''. The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 31 January 2009. Retrieved 30 January 2009. Jump up ^ Statement by President Barroso on Croatia -- Commission proposes to close the last `` Chapters '' in the accession talks European Commission, 10 June 2011 Jump up ^ `` Treaty concerning the accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union ''. European Council. Jump up ^ `` Treaty of Croatia 's Accession to the European Union -- Ratification Process ''. EU delegation to Croatia. Jump up ^ `` Mired in recession, ex-Yugoslav Croatia joins troubled EU ''. Reuters. 30 June 2013. Retrieved 30 June 2013. Jump up ^ See Schengen and Slovenia / Third - country nationals at `` Republic of Slovenia : Ministry of the Interior : FAQ about Schengen ''. Archived from the original on 3 February 2008. Retrieved 2 March 2008. ^ Jump up to : `` Work permits ''. Your Europe - Citizens. Retrieved 5 September 2017. Jump up ^ cf Judgement of the European Court of Justice of 21 December 2011, Joined Cases C ‐ 424 / 10 and C ‐ 425 / 10, Ziolkowski, Szeja and Others v Land Berlin : Judgement & Press release. The ECJ held that periods of residence completed by a national of a non-Member State before the accession of that State to the EU must be taken into account when calculating the five year qualifying period for permanent residence, provided that the conditions laid down in Article 7 ( 1 ) of Directive 2004 / 38 / EC are satisfied. Jump up ^ `` Federal Government - Labour market open to Croats ''. www.bundesregierung.de. Retrieved 5 September 2017. Jump up ^ `` Spain Latest to Remove Restrictions for Croatian Workers ''. Retrieved 5 September 2017. Jump up ^ http://www.ey.com/GL/en/Services/Tax/Human-Capital/HC-Alert--Belgian-work-permit-not-required-for-Croatian-nationals-from-1-July-2015 Jump up ^ `` Luxembourg will not require work permit for Croatian nationals ''. taxinsights.ey.com. Retrieved 5 September 2017. Jump up ^ `` Croatia - Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion - European Commission ''. ec.europa.eu. Retrieved 7 April 2018. Jump up ^ `` STA : Slovenia Extends Transitional Period for Croatian Workers ''. english.sta.si. Retrieved 5 September 2017. Jump up ^ `` Freedom of movement of workers Croatia postponed - News - EUBluecard ''. www.eubluecard.nl. Retrieved 5 September 2017. Jump up ^ `` MVEP Visa requirements overview ''. www.mvep.hr. Retrieved 5 September 2017. Jump up ^ `` MVEP Press Release : ''. www.mvep.hr. Retrieved 5 September 2017. Jump up ^ `` Visa - free visit period extended for nationals of Croatia ''. www.info.gov.hk. Retrieved 5 September 2017. Jump up ^ http://www.immigration.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/25A93FE3-5999-45CD-915A-19D72A7264F7/0/AmendementCircular201308.pdf Jump up ^ Barbados grants Croatian citizens a visa - free period of stay of only 28 days, whilst it grants a visa - free period of stay of 3 months to all other EU / EEA / Swiss citizens. Jump up ^ http://www.mofat.gov.bn/index.php/visa-information Jump up ^ Croatia is not included in the Visa Waiver Program. Jump up ^ Stojan de Prato ( 4 February 2011 ). `` Karamarko : Granični nadzor prema EU ukidamo 2015 '' ( Karamarko : Border control towards the EU shall be abolished in 2015 ) ( in Croatian ). Večernji list. Retrieved 25 June 2011. Jump up ^ `` EEA Agreement ''. European Free Trade Association. Retrieved 2013 - 07 - 07. Jump up ^ `` Croatian gov 't files for Croatia 's entry into EEA ''. 2012 - 09 - 13. Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 2013 - 07 - 07. Jump up ^ `` Aktuelle saker om europapolitikk ''. Regjeringen.no. 16 April 2007. Retrieved 5 September 2017. Jump up ^ `` Kroatia inn i EU '' ( in Norwegian ). Norwegian Directorate of Immigration. 2013 - 07 - 02. Retrieved 2013 - 07 - 07. Jump up ^ `` Norway congratulates Croatia on EU membership ''. The Royal Norwegian Embassy in Zagreb. 2013 - 07 - 02. Retrieved 2013 - 07 - 07. Jump up ^ `` Agreement on the participation of the Republic of Croatia in the European Economic Area and three related Agreements ''. Council of the European Union. 11 April 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2014. ^ Jump up to : `` Croatians waver over European Union membership ''. BBC News. 9 January 2011. Archived from the original on 10 January 2011. Retrieved 10 January 2011. Jump up ^ `` Croatia EU referendum : Voters back membership ''. BBC News. 22 January 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2012. Further reading Jović, Dejan ( April 2006 ). `` Croatia and the European Union : a long delayed journey ''. Journal of Southern Europe and the Balkans. 8 ( 1 ) : 85 -- 103. doi : 10.1080 / 14613190600595598. Tolksdorf, Dominik ( April 2013 ). Croatia on the Verge of Joining the European Union : Outlook after the release of the latest EU monitoring report. Washington, DC : American Institute for Contemporary German Studies. External links Official EU - website concerning enlargement BBC News : inside Europe : EU enlargement Enlargement and partners of the European Union Previous enlargements 1973 1981 1986 1995 2007 2013 Statistics Negotiating Montenegro ( status ) Serbia ( status ) Turkey ( status ) Candidate status Albania ( status ) Macedonia ( status ) Potential candidates Bosnia and Herzegovina ( status ) Kosovo * ( under the Belgrade -- Pristina agreement ; status ) Partnerships Free trade agreements Iceland ( relations ) Liechtenstein ( relations ) Norway ( relations ) Switzerland ( relations ) Eastern Partnership Armenia ( relations ) Azerbaijan ( relations ) Belarus ( relations ) Georgia ( relations ) ( accession ) Moldova ( relations ) Ukraine ( relations ) Northern Dimension Russia ( relations ) Union for the Mediterranean Algeria Egypt Israel ( relations ) Jordan ( relations ) Lebanon ( relations ) Mauritania Monaco Morocco ( relations ) Palestine ( relations ) Syria Tunisia Current membership Criteria Withdrawal European Union articles History Timeline Pre-1945 1945 -- 57 1958 -- 72 1973 -- 93 1993 -- 2004 Since 2004 Predecessors Timeline Founders European Coal and Steel Community ( 1951 -- 2002 ) European Economic Community ( 1958 -- 1993 / 2009 ) Euratom ( 1958 -- present ) European Communities ( 1967 -- 1993 / 2009 ) Justice and Home Affairs ( 1993 -- 2009 ) Geography Extreme points Geographic centre Largest municipalities Urban areas Larger urban zones Member states Regions ( first - level NUTS ) Special territories Politics Institutions European Council European Commission European Parliament Council of the European Union Court of Justice of the European Union European Central Bank European Court of Auditors Agencies Banking Border and coast security ( Frontex ) Disease prevention and control Environment Foreign affairs ( External Action Service ) Judicial cooperation ( Eurojust ) Law enforcement cooperation ( Europol ) Maritime safety Reconstruction Law Acquis Charter of Fundamental Rights Competition law Copyright law Directive Citizens ' Rights Directive Enhanced cooperation Environmental policy Four freedoms labour mobility Government procurement Journal Mechanism for Cooperation and Verification Legislative procedure Citizens ' Initiative Regulation Rural Development Policy Schengen Area Treaties opt - outs LGBT rights Politics Elections parliamentary constituencies Enlargement 1973 1981 1986 1995 2007 2013 Future Euromyths Political parties ( National parties by affiliation ) Euroscepticism Foreign relations ( defence ) Integration Parliamentary groups Pro-Europeanism Withdrawal ( Brexit ) 2012 Nobel Peace Prize Economy Budget Central bank Agricultural policy Fisheries policy Currencies Energy policy Euro Eurozone Free trade agreements Investment bank Investment fund Regional development Single market Societas Europaea Solidarity Fund Transport Galileo navigation system minimum wage average wage unemployment rate health expense per person Healthcare Health Insurance Card Driving licence European Common Aviation Area Culture Citizenship passports identity cards Cultural policies Demographics Douzelage Driving licence Education House of European History Institute of Innovation and Technology Laissez - passer Languages Media freedom Public holidays Religion Sport Telephone numbers Statistics Symbols Lists Concepts, acronyms, & jargon Agencies Books Companies Cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants Largest cities by population within city limits Directives Tallest buildings Terrorist incidents Vehicle registration plates Theory Eurosphere Intergovernmentalism Multi-speed Neofunctionalism Optimum currency area Supranational union Outline Book Portal International reach and expansion of the European Union Theory Integration Eurosphere Pax Europaea Superpower status Federalisation Reach ACP ( Economic Partnership Agreements ) Association Agreement Free trade agreements Common Foreign and Security Policy ( CFSP ) Common Security and Defence Policy ( CSDP ) ( missions ) European Economic Area Stabilisation and Association Process Europeanisation High Representative ( Bosnia ) International Civilian Representative ( Kosovo ) Partnerships European Neighbourhood Policy ( statistics ) Eastern Partnership Northern Dimension Union for the Mediterranean Representation High Representative President of the European Council President of the European Commission Delegations of the European Parliament Assets Economy Euro ( International status and usage ) ECHO Galileo Military Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2013_enlargement_of_the_European_Union&oldid=852279558 '' Categories : 2013 in Croatia 2013 in the European Union Foreign relations of Croatia Historical enlargements of the European Union Croatia and the European Union July 2013 events Hidden categories : CS1 Italian - language sources ( it ) CS1 Croatian - language sources ( hr ) CS1 Latvian - language sources ( lv ) CS1 Norwegian - language sources ( no ) Use British English from July 2013 Use dmy dates from July 2013 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Languages Asturianu Български Català Čeština Deutsch Español Français 한국어 Հայերեն हिन्दी Hrvatski Bahasa Indonesia Italiano Magyar Nederlands Polski Português Русский Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Türkçe Українська 12 more Edit links This page was last edited on 27 July 2018, at 20 : 20 ( UTC ). Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: when did croatia become part of the eu
Answer: 1 July 2013