Proposal for a Council Decision on the principles, priorities and conditions contained in the Accession Partnership with Croatia and repealing Decision 2006/145/EC
Date: 2007-11-06
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Croatia, accession criteria, accession negotiations, accession to the European Union, cooperation agreement (EU), enlargement of the Union

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 6.11.2007 
COM(2007) 658 final 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL DECISION 

on the principles, priorities and conditions contained in the Accession Partnership with 
Croatia and repealing Decision 2006/145/EC 

(presented by the Commission) 

EN 

   EN 

 
 
 
  
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

The  Thessaloniki  European  Council  of  19  and  20  June  2003  endorsed  the  "Thessaloniki 
Agenda for the Western Balkans", which introduced the partnerships as a means of realising 
the European perspective of the Western Balkan countries. 

On  20  February  2006,  the  Council  adopted  the  revised  Accession  Partnership  for  Croatia, 
based  on  the  Commission's  proposal  presented  on  9  November  2005.  This  partnership 
contained  short–term  and  medium–term  priorities.  The  countries  are  expected  to  fulfil  the 
short–term priorities in one to two years. 

Therefore  the  Commission  considers  it  appropriate  to  present  a  proposal  for  an  updated 
partnership  for  Croatia.  This  renewed  partnership  is  based  on  the  provisions  of  Council 
Regulation  (EC)  No  533/2004  of  22  March  2004  and  takes  into  account  the  new 
developments  as  described  in  the  2007  Progress  Report.  The  priorities  listed  in  this 
partnership have been selected on the basis that it is realistic to expect Croatia to be able to 
complete them or bring them substantially forward over the next few years. 

In order to respond to the Accession Partnership, the competent authorities in Croatia should 
develop a plan with a timetable and the specified measures Croatia intends to take to this end. 
The Commission will regularly monitor progress in implementing the priorities. 

The Accession Partnership priorities form the basis for programming the financial assistance 
of  the  Community,  which  will  continue  to  be  provided  under  the  relevant  financial 
instruments, in particular Council Regulation (EC) No 1085/2006 of 17 July 2006 establishing 
the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA). 

The  proposed  Council  Decision  has  no  financial  implications.  In  view  of  the  above,  the 
Commission invites the Council to adopt the attached proposal for a Council Decision. 

EN 

2 

   EN 

 
Proposal for a 

COUNCIL DECISION 

on the principles, priorities and conditions contained in the Accession Partnership with 
Croatia and repealing Decision 2006/145/EC 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, 

Having  regard  to  Council  Regulation  (EC)  No  533/2004  of  22  March  2004  on  the 
establishment of partnerships in the framework of the Stabilisation and Association Process1, 
as amended, and in particular Article 2 thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

The Thessaloniki European Council of 19 and 20 June 2003 endorsed the introduction 
of the partnerships as a means to materialise the European perspective of the Western 
Balkan countries. 

Regulation (EC) No 533/2004 provides that the Council is to decide on the principles, 
priorities and conditions to be contained in the partnerships, as well as any subsequent 
adjustments.  It  also  states  that  the  follow-up  to  the  Accession  Partnerships  will  be 
ensured  through  the  mechanisms  established  under  the  Stabilisation  and  Association 
Process, notably by the annual progress reports. 

Following  the  European  Partnership  of  2004,  the  Council  adopted  on  20  February 
2006 the first Accession Partnership with Croatia2. 

On  3  October  2005  the  Member  States  started  negotiations  with  Croatia  on  its 
accession to the European Union. The advancement of the negotiations will be guided 
by  Croatia’s  progress  in  preparing  for  accession,  which  will  be  measured,  inter  alia, 
against the implementation of the Accession Partnership, as regularly revised. 

(5) 

The  Commission's  Paper  on  enlargement  strategy  and  main  challenges  2006–2007 
indicated that the partnerships would be updated at the end of 2007. 

1 

2 

OJ  L  86,  24.3.2004,  p.  1.  Regulation  as  last  amended  by  Regulation  (EC)  No  269/2006  (OJ  L  47, 
17.2.2006, p. 7.) 
Council  Decision  2006/145/EC  of  20  February  2006  on  the  principles,  priorities  and  conditions 
contained in the Accession Partnership with Croatia (OJ L 55, 25.2.2006, p. 30). 

EN 

3 

   EN 

 
                                                 
(6) 

(7) 

On 12 June 2006 the Council adopted Regulation (EC) No 1085/2006 establishing an 
instrument  for  pre-accession  assistance  (IPA)3,  which  renews  the  framework  for 
financial assistance to pre-accession countries. 

It is therefore appropriate to adopt a revised Accession Partnership which updates the 
current partnership in order to identify renewed priorities for further work, on the basis 
of  the  findings  of  the  2007  Progress  Report  on  Croatia’s  preparations  for  further 
integration with the European Union. 

(8) 

In  order  to  prepare  for  membership,  Croatia  is  expected  to  develop  a  plan  with  a 
timetable and specific measures to address the priorities of this Accession Partnership. 

(9) 

Decision 2006/145/EC should be repealed, 

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: 

Article 1 

The principles, priorities and conditions in the Accession Partnership with Croatia are set out 
in the Annex. 

Article 2 

The implementation of the Accession Partnership  shall  be  examined  and  monitored  through 
the  mechanisms  established  under  the  Stabilisation  and  Association  Process,  and  by  the 
Council on the basis of annual reports by the Commission. 

Decision 2006/145/EC shall be repealed. 

Article 3 

Article 4 

This Decision shall take effect on the third day following that of its publication in the Official 
Journal of the European Union. 

Done at Brussels,  

For the Council 
The President 

3 

OJ L 210, 31.7.2006, p. 82 

EN 

4 

   EN 

 
 
 
                                                 
ANNEX : CROATIA 2007 ACCESSION PARTNERSHIP 

1. 

INTRODUCTION 

The proposed revised Accession Partnership updates the first one, on the basis of the findings 
of the 2007 Commission’s Progress Report on Croatia. It identifies new as well as remaining 
priorities for action. The new priorities are adapted to the country’s specific needs and stage 
of  preparation  and  will  be  updated  as  necessary.  Croatia  is  expected  to  develop  a  plan 
including  a  timetable  and  specific  measures  intended  to  address  the  Accession  Partnership 
priorities.  The  Accession  Partnership  also  provides  guidance  for  financial  assistance  to  the 
country. 

2. 

PRINCIPLES 

The Stabilisation and Association Process remains the framework for the European course of 
the  Western  Balkan  countries,  all  the  way  to  their  future  accession.  The  main  priorities 
identified  for  Croatia  relate  to  its  capacity  to  meet  the  criteria  defined  by  the  Copenhagen 
European  Council  of  1993  and  the  conditions  set  for  the  Stabilisation  and  Association 
Process,  notably  the  conditions  defined  by  the  Council  in  its  Conclusions  of  29  April  1997 
and of 21 and 22 June 1999, the final declaration of the Zagreb Summit of 24 November 2000 
and the Thessaloniki Agenda, and the requirements of the negotiating framework adopted by 
the Council on 3 October 2005. 

3. 

PRIORITIES 

The  priorities  listed  in  this  Accession  Partnership  have  been  selected  on  the  basis  that  it  is 
realistic to expect that Croatia can complete them or take them substantially forward over the 
next few years. The priorities concern both legislation and the implementation thereof. 

In view of the need to set priorities, it is clear that there are other tasks for Croatia to complete 
which  may  become  priorities  in  any  future  partnership,  also  taking  into  account  future 
progress made by Croatia. 

Among  the  priorities,  the  key  priorities  have  been  identified  and  grouped  together  at  the 
beginning of the section below. The order of these key priorities does not imply a ranking of 
their importance. 

Key priorities 

–  Ensure  proper  implementation  of  all  commitments  undertaken  in  the  Stabilisation  and 

Association Agreement. 

–  Update  and  implement  the  strategy  and  action  plan  for  judicial  reform;  step  up  public 

administration reform. 

–  Update and implement the anti-corruption programme and related action plans and ensure 
more  coordinated  and  pro-active  efforts  to  prevent,  detect  and  prosecute  corruption, 
especially at high level. 

EN 

5 

   EN 

 
–  Implement  the  Constitutional  Law  on  National  Minorities,  with  particular  attention  to  its 
provisions  guaranteeing  proportional  representation  of  minorities  in  employment.Tackle 
discrimination more widely in the public sector. 

–  Complete  the  process  of  refugee  return;  definitively  settle  all  cases  of  housing  care  for 
former  occupancy/tenancy  rights  holders;  complete  reconstruction  and  repossession  of 
property and reopen the possibility for convalidation claims. 

–  Pursue efforts aimed at reconciliation among citizens in the region and enhance efforts to 

find definitive solutions to pending bilateral issues, in particular border issues. 

–  Maintain  full  cooperation  with  the  International  Criminal  Tribunal  for  the  former 

Yugoslavia and ensure integrity of domestic war crimes proceedings. 

–  Improve  the  business  environment  and  economic  growth  potential,  in  particular  by 
reducing  subsidies,  restructuring  large  loss-making  enterprises  and  increasing  the 
efficiency of public spending. 

Political Criteria 

Democracy and the rule of law 

Public administration 

–  Fully implement public administration reform measures on administrative procedures and 
on  recruitment,  promotion,  training  and  depoliticisation;  improve  human  resource 
management in areas of public administration. 

Judicial system 

–  Substantially reduce the case backlog in courts and ensure an acceptable length of judicial 

proceedings. 

–  Rationalise  the  organisation  of  courts,  including  the  introduction  of  modern  information 

technology systems. 

–  Establish an open, fair and transparent system of recruitment, evaluation and promotion in 
the  judiciary  and  enhance  professionalism  through  high  quality  training,  including  in  EU 
law. 

–  Take measures to ensure proper and full execution of court rulings. 

Anti-corruption policy 

–  Continue to develop Codes of Conduct/ ethics for officials and elected representatives as 
well as action plans to prevent corruption in the relevant law enforcement agencies (border 
police,  police,  customs,  judiciary).  Establish  specialist  units  for  combating  corruption 
within the appropriate services with an appropriate coordination mechanism between them 
and provide them with adequate training and resources. 

–  Take  steps  to  ensure  that  the  legal  framework  for  tackling  corruption  is  uniformly 
implemented  and  enforced.  Ensure  that  the  standards  set  by  international  instruments  are 
met, by putting in place the appropriate legislative and administrative measures. 

–  Take concrete actions to raise public awareness of corruption as a serious criminal offence. 

EN 

6 

   EN 

 
Human rights and the protection of minorities 

–  Ensure  access  to  justice  and  legal  aid  and  make  available  the  corresponding  budgetary 

resources. 

–  Promote respect for and protection of minorities in accordance with international law and 

best practice in EU Member States. 

–  Encourage a spirit of tolerance vis-à-vis the Serb and Roma minorities and take measures 
to  protect  persons  belonging  to  minorities  who  may  be  subject  to  threats  or  acts  of 
discrimination, hostility or violence. 

–  Continue  to  implement  the  strategy  and  action  plan  for  the  protection  and  integration  of 
Roma  and  ensure  availability  of  the  necessary  means,  especially  as  regards  employment, 
education and housing. 

–  Adopt and implement a comprehensive anti-discrimination strategy. 

Regional issues and international obligations 

–  Ensure the integrity of proceedings as regards war crimes, in particular by ensuring an end 
to  ethnic  bias  against  Serbs,  including  application  of  a  uniform  standard  of  criminal 
responsibility and improved security of witnesses and informants. 

–  Secure  adequate  coordination  and  cooperation  between  all  relevant  authorities  at  central 

and local level on refugee return matters. 

–  Make  headway  in  settling  with  neighbours  all  issues  arising  from  lost  occupancy  and 

tenancy rights. 

–  Create  the  social  and  economic  conditions  to  improve  the  climate  for  reintegration  of 
returnees  and  the  acceptance  of  returnees  by  receiving  communities,  including  through 
regional development programmes in affected areas.  

–  Contribute  to  strengthening  regional  cooperation,  including  by  promoting  the  transition 
process from the Stability Pact to a more regionally-owned cooperation framework and the 
effective implementation of the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA). 

–  Fully  implement  agreements  with  neighbouring  countries,  notably  the  fight  against 
organised  crime,  border  management  and  readmission,  cross-border  cooperation,  and 
judicial  and  police  cooperation,  including  on  war  crimes,  and  conclude  such  agreements 
where they are still outstanding. 

–  Continue to implement the trilateral agreement of June 2004 until agreement is reached on 

Croatia's unilaterally declared protected ecological and fishing zone. 

Economic criteria 

–  Continue to implement prudent fiscal, monetary and financial sector policies with a view to 
sustaining macro-economic stability, including low inflation, exchange rate stability and a 
further reduction of general government's spending-to-GDP ratio as well of its deficit and 
debt ratio. 

EN 

7 

   EN 

 
–  Continue  institutional  reforms  in  public  finance  with  a  view  to  enhancing  fiscal 
transparency, and improving the efficiency and transparency of public debt management, 
and completing the planned change of budget reporting to ESA 95 principles. 

–  Continue  the  implementation  of  comprehensive  health  care  reforms  to  avoid  the 
accumulation of new payment arrears in the health system and to improve the efficiency of 
health spending. Continue the reform of social security. Ensure the financial sustainability 
of the pension system's first pillar through adequate parametric reforms. 

–  Continue  to  facilitate  business  entry  by  further  reducing  the  time  and  procedures  needed 
and  the  costs  for  establishing  a  business.  Improve  bankruptcy  procedures  to  speed  up 
market exit. 

–  Improve  the  institutional  framework  for  privatisation  with  a  view  to  significantly 
advancing the privatisation of companies held under the State Privatisation Fund. Continue 
with the restructuring of loss-making state-owned enterprises and of the railway system to 
reduce the amount of subsidies to the enterprise sector as a share of GDP. 

–  Improve incentive structures  and  flexibility in the labour market to increase participation 

and employment rates. 

Ability to assume the obligations of membership 

Chapter 1: Free movement of goods 

–  Adopt  and  implement  horizontal  framework  legislation  to  complete  the  necessary 
infrastructure,  and  ensure  segregation  of  tasks  between  the  various  functions  (regulation, 
standardisation, accreditation, metrology, conformity assessment and market surveillance). 

–  Adopt and implement a comprehensive strategy for the transposition and implementation 
of  EC  legislation  for  relevant  horizontal  organisations  (standardisation,  accreditation, 
metrology and market surveillance) and in individual sectors, and enhance administrative 
capacity. 

–  Adopt and implement an Action Plan for compliance with Articles 28-30 of the EC Treaty, 

including the introduction of mutual recognition clauses. 

–  Continue  adoption  of  European  standards.  Continue  preparations  towards  meeting 

membership criteria for standardisation bodies. 

–  Complete transposition of the new and old Approach directives. 

Chapter 2: Freedom of movement of workers 

–  Abolish any discriminatory measures towards EU migrant workers and EU citizens. 

–  Reinforce administrative structures for the coordination of social security schemes. 

Chapter 3: Right of establishment and freedom to provide services 

–  Complete  alignment  of  legislation  with  the  acquis  on  the  recognition  of  professional 
qualifications  for  EU  citizens  and  amend  existing  legislation  to  repeal  remaining 
requirements in respect of nationality, language, establishment or business permits for EU 
service providers. 

EN 

8 

   EN 

 
Chapter 4: Free movement of capital 

–  Complete the establishment of an effective anti-money laundering regime, in particular by 
ensuring  that  enforcement  agencies  are  fully  operational,  adequately  resourced  and  well 
coordinated with domestic and international counterparts. 

–  Make  further  progress  in  the  removal  of  remaining  restrictions  on  capital  movements; 
remove all restrictions on the purchase of real estate by EU nationals in line with the SAA 
and  ensure  that  all  applications  for  permission  to  purchase  real  estate  submitted  in  the 
meantime by EU nationals are handled expeditiously. 

Chapter 5: Public procurement 

–  Give  an  organisation  for  procurement  the  task  of  guaranteeing  a  coherent  policy  and 

steering its implementation, in all areas related to public procurement. 

–  Adopt  and  implement  a  comprehensive  strategy,  with  time  schedules  and  milestones  for 
legislative  alignment  and  capacity  building,  in  all  areas  of  public  procurement  (public 
contracts,  concessions,  public-private  partnerships)  as  well  as  for  review  procedures  and 
bodies. Strengthen enforcement mechanisms of review bodies. 

Chapter 6: Company law 

–  Align  the  Companies  Act  with  the  acquis  and  complete  alignment  with  the  directive  on 

take-over bids. 

–  Align  accounting  and  auditing  legislation  with  the  acquis.  Strengthen  the  relevant 

institutional framework. 

Chapter 7: Intellectual property law 

–  Complete the alignment with the acquis concerning copyright and related rights and ensure 
the enforcement of intellectual property rights by strengthening the administrative capacity 
of the relevant bodies. 

–  Provide  a  satisfactory  track  record  of  investigation,  prosecution  and  judicial  treatment  of 

cases of piracy and counterfeiting. 

Chapter 8: Competition policy 

–  Adopt a National Restructuring Programme for the steel sector that ensures the viabilityand 
respect  for  EU  rules  on  state  aids.  Adopt  individual  restructuring  plans  for  each  of  the 
shipyards  in  difficulties  and  incorporate  such  plans  in  a  National  Restructuring 
Programme, in line with EU rules on state aids. 

–  Complete legislative alignment with EU state aid rules in the area of fiscal aid and align all 
other  remaining  aid  schemes  identified  in  the  state  aid  inventory  as  being  incompatible 
with EU rules. Adopt the regional aid map. 

–  Adopt legislative measures allowing for effective anti-trust control, in particular as regards 

fine setting and judicial control. 

EN 

9 

   EN 

 
Chapter 9: Financial services 

–  Complete  the  transposition  of  the  acquis  on  capital  requirements,  electronic  money 
institutions,  financial  conglomerates,  winding-up  and  reorganisation,  bank  accounts, 
branch accounts and deposit guarantee schemes. 

–  Complete  legislative  alignment  with  regard  to  solvency  margins,  insurance  supervision, 
reinsurance  and  insurance  mediation,  financial  market  infrastructure,  investment  and 
securities markets. 

–  Establish  an  investor  compensation  scheme  in  line  with  the  acquis.  Demonstrate 

enforcement of prudential requirements by establishing a track record. 

Chapter 10: Information society and media 

–  Complete 

the  alignment  with 

the  acquis  concerning  electronic  communications, 
commerce, signatures and media, information security and the Television without Frontiers 
directive. 

–  Ensure sufficient administrative capacity to enforce the acquis, in particular in the field of 
electronic communications and provide a track record of the enforcement of obligations on 
operators  with  significant  market  power  and  the  rights  of  new  entrants  on  the  electronic 
communications market, including rights of way, co-location and facility sharing. 

–  Complete  the  planned  review  of  audiovisual  media  legislation  on  the  basis  of  public 
consultation,  to  ensure  regulatory  independence  and  guard  against  undue  political 
interference. 

Chapter 11: Agriculture and rural development 

–  Strengthen  the  administrative  structures  and  capacity  needed  to  implement  market  and 

rural development policies, including collection and processing of agricultural data. 

–  Establish a vineyard register in line with EU standards. 

–  Continue  preparations  to  establish  effective  and  financially  sound  paying  bodies  for  the 
management  and  control  of  agricultural  funds,  in  line  with  EU  requirements  and 
international auditing standards. 

Chapter 12: Food safety, veterinary and phytosanitary policy 

–  Substantially  improve  the  alignment  of  legislation  in  the  food  safety,  veterinary  and 
phytosanitary  domain  and  strengthen  the  necessary  implementing  structures  including 
control and inspection services. 

–  Ensure  the  setting  up  compliant  regimes  in  the  food  safety,  veterinary  and  phytosanitary 
sectors,  including  a  system  for  animal  identification  and  registration  of  movements, 
treatment  of  animal  by-products,  upgrading  of  agri-food  establishments,  animal  welfare 
and programmes of control of animal diseases, control of animals and animal products at 
border inspection posts, control of plant health, authorisation of plant protection products 
and control of their residues as well as quality of seeds and plant propagating material. 

EN 

10 

   EN 

 
Chapter 13: Fisheries 

–  Strengthen  administrative and, in particular, inspection structures  for fisheries policy and 

improve the collection of catch and landing data. 

–  Complete  the  computerised  fishing  vessel  register  and  establish  a  satellite-based  vessel 

monitoring system. 

Chapter 14: Transport policy 

–  Complete alignment with the EU acquis and enhance administrative capacity in the area of 
road  transport  (including  the  implementation  of  the  digital  tachograph)  aviation  and 
maritime transport and in the area of inland waterway transport, in particular as regards the 
safety of navigation and River Information Services. 

–  Adopt implementing  legislation  for rail transport, in particular interoperability  provisions 

and independent allocation of capacity. Publish a finalised network statement. 

–  Implement the first transitional phase of the European Common Aviation Area Agreement 

and ratify it.  

Chapter 15: Energy 

–  Fulfil obligations arising from the Energy Community Treaty. 

–  Strengthen  administrative  capacity  and  complete  alignment  with  the  EU  acquis  in  the 
fields of security of supply, energy efficiency and renewable energy sources, the internal 
energy market (electricity and gas) and nuclear energy. 

Chapter 16: Taxation 

–  Accelerate  alignment  of  tax  legislation  with  the  acquis  with  particular  attention  to 
including  free  zones  in  the  territorial  application  of  the  VAT-regime,  abolishing  the 
existing zero rates of VAT, eliminating the discriminatory taxation of cigarettes and further 
harmonising the system of excise duties. 

–  Significantly strengthen the enforcement capacity of the tax and customs administrations, 
particularly  regarding  collection  and  control  functions  and  developing  the  necessary  IT 
systems;  continue  the  work  on  building  a  functioning  and  adequately  staffed  excise  duty 
service; simplify procedures and reinforce controls to effectively prosecute tax fraud. 

–  Commit to the principles of the Code of Conduct for business taxation and ensure that new 

tax measures are in conformity with these principles. 

Chapter 17: Economic and Monetary Union 

–  Align the legal framework in order to ensure full central bank independence, and to allow 

for the full integration of its central bank into the European System of Central Banks. 

Chapter 18: Statistics 

–  Strengthen  the  administrative  capacity  of  the  Bureau  of  Statistics,  reform  its  regional 

offices and improve coordination with other producers of official statistics. 

–  Continue developing agricultural, macroeconomic and business statistics. 

EN 

11 

   EN 

 
Chapter 19: Social policy and employment 

–  Further  align  with  the  acquis  and  strengthen  the  related  administrative  and  enforcement 

structures, including the labour inspectorates, in association with social partners. 

–  Implement effectively the Joint Inclusion Memorandum (JIM) and, once adopted, the Joint 

Assessment Paper on Employment Policy Priorities (JAP). 

Chapter 20: Enterprise and industrial policy 

–  Implement  a  comprehensive  industrial  policy  strategy,  with  particular  emphasis  on  the 
restructuring  of  key  loss-making  sectors  and  individual  companies,  including  steel  and 
shipbuilding. 

Chapter 21: Trans European Networks 

–  Increase gas and electricity interconnections with neighbouring countries. 

Chapter 22: Regional policy and coordination of structural instruments 

–  Adopt  and  begin  implementing  an  action  plan  setting  out  clear  objectives  and  a  related 
timetable  in  order  to  meet  regulatory  and  operational  requirements  deriving  from 
Community cohesion policy, including strengthening capacity at central, regional and local 
level. 

–  Ensure  a  clear  distribution  of  responsibilities  and  strengthen  the  capacity  of,  and 
coordination  between,  designated  implementing  authorities/structures,  including  local 
authorities.  

–  Adopt a Regional Development Act. 

–  Reinforce  capacity  for  programming,  project  preparation,  monitoring,  evaluation  and 
financial  management  and  control,  particularly  of  line  Ministries,  to  implement  EU  pre-
accession programmes as a preparation for Community cohesion policy. 

Chapter 23: Judiciary and fundamental rights  

–  Continue to implement the national law on personal data protection in line with the acquis 

and ensure an efficient monitoring and enforcement. 

–  See for other priorities the section on political criteria. 

Chapter 24: Justice, freedom and security  

–  Complete  the  revision  of  key  legislation  to  align  with  the  Schengen  acquis  and  extend 

investments at local level in terms of IT equipment and further training for the police. 

–  Continue preparations to implement the Schengen acquis by increasing staffing levels and 
training  for  border  guards,  further  investing  in  equipment  including  the  extension  of  the 
National Border Management Information System and ensuring its compatibility with the 
second  generation  Schengen  Information  System  (SIS  II).  Improve  administrative  and 
enforcement capacity of the border police by enhancing inter-agency cooperation. 

–  Continue alignment to EU visa plicy, including the introduction of biometric identifiers in 

travel documents and preparations for the Visa Information system. 

EN 

12 

   EN 

 
–  Introduce secondary legislation for implementation of the Asylum Act and Aliens Act . 

–  Ensure  compatibility  of  legislation  with  the  acquis  in  judicial  cooperation  in  civil  and 

criminal matters and strengthen the capacity of the judiciary to apply the acquis. 

Chapter 25: Science and research 

–  Ensure adequate capacity to take up EU-funded research projects. 

–  Continue  to  take  and  implement  actions  to  facilitate  the  integration  into  the  European 

Research Area. 

Chapter 26: Education and culture 

–  Ensuring  adequate  capacity  to  manage  the  Lifelong  Learning  and  Youth  in  Action 

programmes. 

–  Align with the acquis on non-discrimination between EU and Croatian nationals as regards 
access  to  education  as  well  as  the  directive  on  the  education  of  the  children  of  migrant 
workers. 

Chapter 27: Environment 

–  Continue  work  on  transposition  and  implementation  of  the  EU  acquis,  with  particular 
emphasis on waste management, water quality, air quality, nature protection and integrated 
pollution prevention and control.  

–  Adopt  and  implement  a  comprehensive  plan  for  putting  in  place  the  necessary 
administrative  capacity  and  required  financial  resources  to  implement  the  environment 
acquis.  

–  Increase  investments  in  environmental  infrastructure,  with  particular  emphasis  on  waste 

water collection and treatment, drinking water supply and waste management.  

–  Start implementing the Kyoto Protocol. 

–  Ensure  integration  of  environmental  protection  requirements  into  the  definition  and 

implementation of other sectoral policies and promote sustainable development. 

Chapter 28: Consumer and health protection 

–  Further  align  with  the  consumer  and  health  acquis,  including  in  the  areas  of  tissues  and 
cells and tobacco, and ensure adequate administrative structures and enforcement capacity. 

–  In  the  area  of  mental  health,  develop  community-based  services  as  an  alternative  to 
institutionalisation, and ensure allocation of sufficient financial resources for mental health 
care. 

Chapter 29: Customs union 

–  Continue to adopt legislation in the limited remaining areas requiring further alignment, in 

particular on the non-preferential rules of origin and the application of fees. 

–  Apply  customs  rules  in  a  consistent  and  homogeneous  manner  across  customs  offices, 
notably in the areas of declaration processing, origin, simplified procedures, counterfeiting, 

EN 

13 

   EN 

 
selectivity  of  controls;  ensure  the  application  of  modern  and  consistent  risk  analysis 
procedures in all offices. 

–  On  the  basis  of  a  comprehensive  and  coherent  strategy,  make  sufficient  progress  in 

developing all IT interconnectivity systems. 

Chapter 30: External relations 

–  Prepare for the alignment of all relevant international agreements with third countries and 

strengthen administrative and control capacities for the common commercial policy. 

Chapter 31: Foreign, security and defence policy 

–  Strengthen implementation and enforcement of arms control and further improve capacity 
for  full  implementation  of  the  Common  Foreign  Security  Policy-and  European  Security 
and Defense Policy. 

Chapter 32: Financial control 

–  Adopt  and  implement  public  internal  financial  control  legislation  and  inherent  policies 

supported by adequate implementation capacity. 

–  Safeguard  the  functional  and  financial  independence  of  the  State  Audit  Institution  by 
means  of  amended  constitutional  provisions  or  national  legislation  having  equivalent 
effect, adoption and implementation of necessary accompanying legislation. 

–  Align  the  Criminal  Code  with  the  acquis  on  protection  of  the  EU's  financial  interests  as 

well as with the convention on the protection of financial interests and its protocols. 

–  Set  up  an  effective  and  efficient  coordination  service  to  guarantee  fulfilment  of  the 
obligations arising from (Article 280  (3) of) the EC Treaty  and application  of  the acquis 
concerning on-the-spot checks and inspections carried out by the Commission, in particular 
the obligation of assistance to Commission inspectors. 

–  Take legislative and administrative measures to comply with the acquis on the protection 

of the euro against counterfeiting. 

Chapter 33: Financial and budgetary provisions  

–  Increase  administrative  capacity  and  prepare  procedural  rules  to  ensure,  from  accession, 
the correct calculation, forecasting, collection, payment, control and reporting to the EU on 
own resources. 

4. 

PROGRAMMING 

Community assistance will be provided through the instrument for pre-accession (IPA) and, 
for programmes adopted before 2007, Council Regulation (EC) No 2666/2000 of 5 December 
2000  (CARDS  regulation)4.  Accordingly,  this  Decision  will  have  no  financial  implications. 
The  financing  agreements  serve  as  legal  basis  for  the  implementation  of  the  concrete 
programmes. 

4 

OJ  L  306,  7.12.2000,  p.  1.  Regulation  as  last  amended  by  Regulation  (EC)  No  2112/2005  (OJ  L  344, 
27.5.2005). 

EN 

14 

   EN 

 
                                                 
Croatia can also have access to funding from multi-country and horizontal programmes. 

5. 

CONDITIONALITY 

Assistance to the Western Balkan countries is conditional on further progress on satisfying the 
Copenhagen  criteria  and  on  meeting  the  requirements  of  the  Stabilisation  and  Association 
Agreement  and  specific  priorities  of  this  Accession  Partnership.  Failure  to  respect  these 
conditions could lead the Council to take appropriate measures on the basis of Article 21 of 
Council Regulation (EC) No 1085/2006 or, in the case of pre-2007 programmes, on the basis 
of Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 2666/2000. The assistance is also subject to the conditions 
defined  by  the  Council  in  its  conclusions  of  29  April  1997,  in  particular  as  regards  the 
recipients’ undertaking to carry out democratic, economic and institutional reforms. Specific 
conditions are also included in individual annual programmes. The financing decisions will be 
followed by a financing agreement signed with Croatia.  

6. 

MONITORING 

The implementation of the Accession Partnership shall be examined in the framework of the 
Stabilisation and Association Process, including through the annual Reports presented by the 
Commission, in the context of the political and economic dialogues, as well as on the basis of 
information provided to the accession conference. 

EN 

15 

   EN