European Parliament resolution on the Commission report on the feasibility of negotiating a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the Republic of Croatia (COM(2000) 311 — C5-0506/2000 — 2000/2244(COS))
Date: 2000-12-13
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: Croatia, EU relations, association agreement (EU), cooperation policy, economic stabilisation

C 232/184

Official Journal of the European Communities

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17.8.2001

Wednesday 13 December 2000

12. Stabilisation Agreement with the Republic of Croatia

A5-0364/2000

European Parliament resolution on the Commission report on the feasibility of negotiating a Sta-
bilisation and Association Agreement with the Republic of Croatia (COM(2000) 311 ) C5-0506/
2000 ) 2000/2244(COS))

The European Parliament,

(cid:1) having regard to the Commission report (COM(2000) 311 (cid:1) C5-0506/2000),

(cid:1) having regard to the Commission Recommendation concerning the Council Decision authorising the
Commission to negotiate a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the Republic of Croatia
(SEC(2000) 1215),

(cid:1) having regard to Rule 47(1) of its Rules of Procedure,

(cid:1) having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security

and Defence Policy (A5-0364/2000),

A. whereas the Commission has recognised very clearly that Croatia meets the conditions for the opening

of negotiations for a Stabilisation and Association Agreement,

B. whereas the opening of negotiations for a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with Croatia at the
Zagreb Summit on 24 November 2000 places relations between the European Union and Croatia on a
new contractual footing, with a view to bringing Croatia closer to, and preparing it for future acces-
sion to, the European Union,

C. pointing out that the negotiations were opened at the Zagreb European Summit, which highlighted

the need to ensure that EU assistance for the countries concerned is consistent and effective,

D.

E.

F.

recalling the conclusions of the Cologne European Council, which confirm the European Union’s com-
mitment to drawing the countries of the Western Balkans region closer to the European Union; stres-
sing that the Santa Maria de Feira European Council confirmed that all countries participating in the
Stabilisation and Association Process are potential candidates for EU membership,

bearing in mind Croatia’s important role in the Stabilisation and Association Process in the region and
its commitment to regional cooperation, in particular in the context of the Stability Pact,

stressing that rapid progress by Croatia in the context of the Stabilisation and Association Process will
be facilitated and enhanced by the conclusion of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, which
will also help bring about improvements as regards the return to Croatia of refugees and displaced
persons,

G. noting the improvement in relations between Croatia and neighbouring countries, and recalling that
Croatia has already concluded free-trade agreements with Slovenia, FYROM and, very recently, with
Bosnia and Herzegovina,

H.

stressing the importance of the attitude of Croatia as to the consolidation and the development of the
democratic institutions in Bosnia-Herzegovina,

I.

J.

reiterating the urgency of enabling Croatian citizens of Serb origin expelled from Kraijina to return
home if they wish to do so,

recalling that no country must be impeded in its efforts to move towards closer relations with, or
integration into, the European Union by political and economic developments in countries in the
same region,

K. whereas collaboration with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) is one

of the basic conditions for the enhancement of relations with the European Union,

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1. Welcomes the fact that the Zagreb Summit saw the opening of negotiations for the conclusion of a
Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the Republic of Croatia and expresses its firm belief that
these negotiations will be concluded swiftly;

2. Welcomes the significant progress made by Croatia in fulfilling its commitments as a member of the
international community, and in particular its ratification of the European Convention on Human Rights,
the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punish-
ment, the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, the European Charter of Local
Self-Government and the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages;

3. Welcomes the change of attitude of the newly elected Croatian authorities vis-à-vis the International
Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and supports their fresh efforts to cooperate with a
view to bringing to justice all those suspected of committing crimes during the war;

Recommends that the Stabilisation and Association Agreement take the form of a mixed agreement

4.
based on Article 310 of the Treaty;

5.
Recommends, insofar as the issue of the European Union’s legal personality has not yet been clari-
fied, that recourse to Articles 24 and 38 of the TEU be excluded as a legal basis for the Stabilisation and
Association Agreement in conjunction with any other provision laid down by the Treaty establishing the
European Community;

6.
Stresses that the further developments clause to be negotiated in the context of the Stabilisation and
Association Agreement must make reference to the political line confirmed by the Santa Maria da Feira
European Council and must not lay down additional conditions on top of those already set for applicant
countries covered by a pre-accession strategy (Copenhagen criteria);

7.
Points out that Croatia is currently taking part in some Community programmes (LIFE, Fifth Frame-
work Programme for Research); calls on the Commission to do more to promote regional and cross-border
cooperation, including with countries covered by the Interreg programme, and to encourage Croatia’s par-
ticipation in other Community programmes;

8.
Notes with satisfaction that the Tempus programme has been opened up to Croatia and that the new
proposal on the CARDS programme also covers financing of Tempus for the countries of the Western
Balkans, which could help to strengthen links between Croatia and countries covered by that programme;

9.
Considers that the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, the CARDS programme and European
Investment Bank operations will be the main channels through which the European Union contributes to
Croatia’s economic and social development;

10.
Emphasises, however, the importance of significantly increasing the assistance provided annually to
Croatia under the CARDS programme, which should not in any case average less than € 50 million per
annum; hopes that the Council will quickly reach an agreement with Parliament on the total multi-annual
budget for the entire region (CARDS) and on the corresponding revision of the financial perspective, so
that the needs identified above may be financed;

11. Welcomes, however, the Council’s recent decision to extend the scope of European Investment Bank
operations to include Croatia;

12.
Notes the statements by the Croatian government confirming its intention to ensure transparency
and visibility as regards the financial support it gives Bosnia and Herzegovina; welcomes the agreement
signed last spring between the Croatian authorities and the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina govern-
ing the Croatian government’s financial assistance towards the Croat component of the Federal Army in
Bosnia and Herzegovina;

13. Welcomes, in this regard, the recent statements made by the Zagreb authorities so as to distance
themselves from the attempts of some of Bosnia’s Croat community representatives to recreate the statelet
of Herzeg-Bosna created during the war in 1996 and calls on the Croatian government to collaborate
actively with the government in Sarajevo with a view to strengthening the fragile structures of the Bosnian
state and preserving its multiethnic, multicultural and multireligious characteristics;

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Congratulates the Croatian government on the progress it has made with regard to the return of

14.
refugees and urges it to continue its efforts, in particular by:

(cid:1) adopting, in the form of legislation, the programme for the return of refugees, including a clear defini-
tion of ‘double occupation’ in relation also to families that have been separated, and detailed criteria
concerning eligibility for alternative accommodation;

(cid:1) giving owners access to municipal courts in order to request that a decision be taken when the com-

petent bodies fail to keep to deadlines;

(cid:1) applying in a non-discriminatory way the recently amended law on reconstruction;

(cid:1) strengthening the principle of transparency with regard to application of the amnesty law;

15. Welcomes the participation of Croatia in the existing initiatives of the Stability Pact on arms export
control systems and specific enforcement measures, as well as on measures fighting uncontrolled or illegal
transfer of small arms and light weapons (SALW), and asks the Croatian government to clearly specify its
respective needs upon which the international donors, including the European Union, can develop and
implement effective assistance programmes;

16. Welcomes the participation of Croatia in the existing initiative of the Stability Pact on institution
and capacity building and legislative reform in the field of refugee protection, asylum and migration, which
should help to achieve the objective of developing asylum and migration systems consistent with interna-
tional and European standards and asks the European Commission to support this initiative by developing
and implementing a tailored programme which meets the specific interests, needs and capacities of Croatia;

Stresses that additional conditions, on top of those specified in the context of the accession process,

17.
must not be laid down in this agreement;

Encourages the Croatian government to undertake the necessary legislative reforms in the field of

18.
minority rights, property, media and the judiciary;

19.
Considers that application of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement must be reviewed every
two years, in order to assess how Croatia’s efforts to forge closer relations with the European Union are
proceeding;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the govern-

20.
ment and parliament of the Republic of Croatia.

13. Developing closer relations with Indonesia

A5-0323/2000

European Parliament resolution on the communication from the Commission to the Council and
to the European Parliament on developing closer relations between Indonesia and the European
Union (COM(2000) 50 ) C5-0288/2000 ) 2000/2152(COS))

The European Parliament,

(cid:1) having regard to the Commission communication (COM(2000) 50 (cid:1) C5-0288/2000),

(cid:1) having regard to the Council’s declarations and conclusions regarding Indonesia, in particular the Gen-

eral Affairs Council’s conclusions of 20 March 2000,

(cid:1) having regard to the EU-Indonesia Joint Declaration of 14 June 2000 in Luxembourg,

(cid:1) having regard to its previous resolutions on Indonesia,

(cid:1) having regard to Rule 47(1) of its Rules of Procedure,