België ondersteunt toetreding Kroatië

[Het Skill Effect]

[size=2]SANADER: BELGIUM TO SUPPORT DATE FOR NEGOTIATION TALKS

[font=Arial]Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader told reporters in Brussels [/font]

[font=Arial]on Friday that Belgium would support Croatia at the EU summit [/font]

[font=Arial]in December in respect to the date for the start of entry talks, [/font]

[font=Arial]but that it was conditional to Croatia's resolution cooperation [/font]

[font=Arial]issues with the ICTY. The statement came after Sanader met with [/font]

[font=Arial]his Belgian counterpart Guy Verhofstadt. The Croatian Prime [/font]

[font=Arial]Minister added that the Croatian government would fulfil its [/font]

[font=Arial]commitments and resolve open issues, but that it would not discuss [/font]

[font=Arial]unrealistic issues. Sanader also said that he was confident [/font]

[font=Arial]that the upcoming report from the ICTY Chief Prosecutor to the [/font]

[font=Arial]Un Security Council, as well as the decisions taken by the Council [/font]

[font=Arial]of Europe regarding dates for the beginning of talks would be [/font]

[font=Arial]positive for Croatia. "I am certain that the Croatia government [/font]

[font=Arial]will convince all factors in the international community, primarily [/font]

[font=Arial]in the EU, that it has a credible policy and this will be the [/font]

[font=Arial]key to the report submitted by Carla del Ponte, as well as for [/font]

[font=Arial]the decision adopted by the Council of Europe in December," [/font]

[font=Arial]he said.[/font]




Hoe denken jullie over de toetreding van dit land?
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[Chipie]

Oorspronkelijk geplaatst door Het Skill Effect

[size=2]SANADER: BELGIUM TO SUPPORT DATE FOR NEGOTIATION TALKS

[font=Arial]Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader told reporters in Brussels [/font][font=Arial]on Friday that Belgium would support Croatia at the EU summit [/font][font=Arial]in December in respect to the date for the start of entry talks, [/font][font=Arial]but that it was conditional to Croatia's resolution cooperation [/font][font=Arial]issues with the ICTY. The statement came after Sanader met with [/font][font=Arial]his Belgian counterpart Guy Verhofstadt. The Croatian Prime [/font]

[font=Arial]Minister added that the Croatian government would fulfil its [/font][font=Arial]commitments and resolve open issues, but that it would not discuss [/font][font=Arial]unrealistic issues. Sanader also said that he was confident [/font][font=Arial]that the upcoming report from the ICTY Chief Prosecutor to the [/font][font=Arial]Un Security Council, as well as the decisions taken by the Council [/font][font=Arial]of Europe regarding dates for the beginning of talks would be [/font][font=Arial]positive for Croatia. "I am certain that the Croatia government [/font][font=Arial]will convince all factors in the international community, primarily [/font][font=Arial]in the EU, that it has a credible policy and this will be the [/font][font=Arial]key to the report submitted by Carla del Ponte, as well as for [/font][font=Arial]the decision adopted by the Council of Europe in December," [/font][font=Arial]he said.[/font]

Hoe denken jullie over de toetreding van dit land?
[/size]

Hoe meer zielen, hoe meer plezier ...

Moest ik in dit land iets te zeggen hebben, ik zou eerst proberen mijn land op de rails te houden...

Bron: ??????

[Piet Hein]

ik ken Kroatië als land niet zo goed.

[Geertje]

Schoon mokkes, laat maar komen !

[Shizie]

Genoeg arme landen bij de EU, Geen Turkije, Geen Kroatie, Geen Roemenie, Geen Rusland!

De echte EU is : Benelux, Scandinavie, Duitsland, Oostenrijk.
en heeeeeeeeeeeeel misschien nog Frankrijk.

[Het Skill Effect]

Oorspronkelijk geplaatst door CHIPIE

Hoe meer zielen, hoe meer plezier ...

Moest ik in dit land iets te zeggen hebben, ik zou eerst proberen mijn land op de rails te houden...

Bron: ??????

Bron = HRT web (Kroatische nieuwszender)

http://www.hrt.hr/

[Koenraad Maesschalck]

Kroatië is een Europees land en bijgevolg dus welkom wat mij betreft. Hetzelfde geldt voor Servië maar uiteraard niet voor Turkije.

[Vlaamse Leeuw]

Oorspronkelijk geplaatst door Koenraad Maesschalck

Kroatië is een Europees land en bijgevolg dus welkom wat mij betreft. Hetzelfde geldt voor Servië maar uiteraard niet voor Turkije.

Volgens mij ligt Turkije deels in Europa?

[Het Skill Effect]

[size=2]EU DIVIDED OVER ENTRY TALKS WITH CROATIA

Quoting official sources in Brussels, France Presse said on Thursday that EU member states were still divided regarding conditions for the start of negotiations between the European Union and Croatia.
This comes a week before the EU summit where heads of 25 EU member states will meet to discuss this issue and Turkey's EU bid.
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[Het Skill Effect]

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[size=3]Croatia: Opinion on the application of Croatia for membership of the European Union
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SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS



[/size]Croatia submitted its application for membership of the European Union on 21 February 2003.

In accordance with the provisions of Article 49 of the Treaty, the Commission has, at the request of the Council, prepared an Opinion on Croatia’s request for membership.

Croatia is preparing for membership on the basis of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement signed on 29 October 2001 and the Interim Agreement which entered into force in March 2002.

In preparing its Opinion, the Commission has taken into account the “Thessaloniki Agenda for the Western Balkans” adopted by the European Council of June 2003, where the EU stated “that the pace of further movement of the Western Balkans countries towards the EU lies in their own hands and will depend on each country’s performance in implementing reforms, thus respecting the criteria set by the Copenhagen European Council of 1993 and the Stabilisation and Association Process conditionality”

The Copenhagen European Council of June 1993 stated that those candidate countries of Central and Eastern Europe who wish to do so shall become members of the Union if they meet the following conditions:

<LI>stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities;

<LI>the existence of a functioning market economy, as well as the ability to cope with competitive pressures and market forces within the Union;

<LI>the ability to take on the obligations of membership, including adherence to the aims of political, economic and monetary union.

In assessing progress in these areas, the Commission has taken into account the capacity of Croatia’s administrative and legal systems to apply and enforce the acquis in practice.

The Commission has also taken into account the Stabilisation and Association Process conditionalities which were defined by the Council on 29 April 1997. These include co-operation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), regional co-operation and other related issues.

The method followed in preparing this Opinion is the same as used in previous Opinions. The Commission has analysed both the present situation and the medium term prospects. In drawing up its recommendation on the opening of the accession negotiations, the Commission has paid particular attention to Croatia’s existing capacity to fulfil the political criteria.

[size=3]1. Political Criteria[/size]

Croatia has stable democratic institutions which function properly respecting the limits of their competences and co-operating with each other. The 2000 and 2003 elections were free and fair. The opposition plays a normal part in the operation of the institutions.

There are no major problems over assuring the rule of law and respect for fundamental rights. However, Croatia needs to take measures to ensure that the rights of minorities, in particular of the Serb minority, are fully respected. Croatia should speed up the implementation of the constitutional Law on National Minorities and accelerate efforts to facilitate the return of Serb refugees from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Croatia needs to make substantial improvements in the functioning of the judicial system. The effectiveness of the fight against corruption needs further strengthening.

Croatia’s cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia has improved significantly in the past months. In April 2004, the Prosecutor stated that Croatia is now cooperating fully with ICTY. Croatia needs to maintain full cooperation and take all necessary steps to ensure that the remaining indictee is located and transferred to ICTY in The Hague. Croatia remains committed to regional co-operation; sustained efforts are needed in this area. In particular to resolve border issues with neighbouring countries in line with international standards for dispute settlement, and issues arising from the unilateral declaration of the protected “Ecological and Fishing Zone” in the Adriatic.

[size=3]2. Economic Criteria[/size]

Croatia can be regarded as a functioning market economy. It should be able to cope with competitive pressure and market forces within the Union in the medium term, provided that it continues implementing its reform programme to remove remaining weaknesses.

In Croatia, there is an increasing political consensus on the essentials of economic policies. The Croatian economy has achieved a considerable degree of macroeconomic stability with low inflation. Enhanced economic stability and structural reforms undertaken so far permit the working of market mechanisms. This holds in particular for the liberalisation of prices and trade as well as for privatisation, albeit to a lesser extent. Croatia is characterised by a relatively well educated labour force and good road transport and telecommunication infrastructure. The country has a well developed banking sector and a competitive tourism industry. Croatia’s economy is already well integrated with that of the EU.

However, the working of market mechanisms still needs some improvement. In particular, the performance of the judicial sector needs to be enhanced and high administrative burdens as well as incomplete systems of cadastre and land registry need to be addressed. Enterprise restructuring and privatisation has been slower than expected and some large state and formerly socially-owned enterprises still play an important role in the economy. In particular the shipbuilding and agriculture sectors need to be modernised. The necessary reforms of the fiscal and social security systems as well as the public administration are not yet completed and fiscal consolidation needs to be vigorously pursued. Full integration in the single market and the adoption of the acquis would, at this stage, cause difficulties for a number of sectors in withstanding the competition within the single market. Addressing the identified weaknesses should contribute to higher investment and growth, thereby enhancing Croatia’s competitiveness.

[size=3]3. Capacity to take on the other obligations of membership[/size]

Croatia’s ability to take on the other obligations of membership has been evaluated according to the following indicators:

• The obligations set out in the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, particularly those already in force under the Interim Agreement which relate to areas such as the free movement of goods, competition and intellectual and industrial property rights;
  
• Progress in adoption, implementation and enforcement of the acquis.
  

The ratification process of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with Croatia has not been completed. Croatia has made progress in applying the Interim Agreement although due attention needs to be paid to the respect of the deadlines set out therein. Croatia has also taken important steps towards complying with future obligations of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA).

Croatia has made significant efforts to align its legislation with the acquis, particularly in areas related to Internal Market and trade. These efforts need to be continued vigorously. Administrative capacity is uneven and enforcement of legislation needs to be improved. Croatia needs to continue legislative alignment while at the same time strengthening administrative and judicial structures that are necessary for the effective implementation and enforcement of the acquis.

If it continues its efforts, Croatia should not have major difficulties in applying the acquis in the medium term in the following fields: Economic and Monetary Union; Statistics; Industrial policy; Small and medium-sized enterprises; Science and research; Education and training; Culture and audio-visual policy; External relations; Common foreign and security policy; Financial and budgetary provisions.

Croatia will have to make further efforts to align its legislation with the acquis and to effectively implement and enforce it in the medium term in the following fields: Free movement of capital; Company law; Fisheries; Transport; Energy; Consumer and health protection; Customs union; Financial control.

Croatia will have to make considerable and sustained efforts to align its legislation with the acquis and to effectively implement and enforce it in the medium term in the following fields: Free movement of goods; Free movement of persons; Freedom to provide services; Competition; Agriculture; Taxation; Social policy and employment; Telecommunications and information technologies; Regional policy; Justice and home affairs.

For the environment, very significant efforts will be needed, including substantial investment and strengthening of administrative capacity for the enforcement of legislation. Full compliance with the acquis could be achieved only in the long term and would necessitate increased levels of investment.

[size=3]CONCLUSION[/size]

• Croatia is a functioning democracy, with stable institutions guaranteeing the rule of law. There are no major problems regarding the respect of fundamental rights. In April 2004, the ICTY Prosecutor stated that Croatia is now cooperating fully with ICTY. Croatia needs to maintain full cooperation and take all necessary steps to ensure that the remaining indictee is located and transferred to ICTY. Croatia needs to make additional efforts in the field of minority rights, refugee returns, judiciary reform, regional co-operation and the fight against corruption. On this basis, the Commission confirms that Croatia meets the political criteria set by the Copenhagen European Council in 1993 and the Stabilisation and Association Process conditionalities established by the Council in 1997.
  
  
• Croatia can be regarded as a functioning market economy. It should be able to cope with competitive pressure and market forces within the Union in the medium term, provided that it continues implementing its reform programme to remove remaining weaknesses.
  
  
• Croatia will be in a position to take on the other obligations of membership in the medium term, provided that considerable efforts are made to align its legislation with the acquis and ensure its implementation and enforcement. However full compliance with the acquis in the field of environment could be achieved only in the long term and would necessitate increased levels of investment.
  

In the light of these considerations, the Commission recommends that negotiations for accession to the European Union should be opened with Croatia.

To assist Croatia in the preparation of accession negotiations, a comprehensive screening exercise would need to be undertaken. Furthermore, the Commission recommends that the EU develops a pre-accession strategy for Croatia and is preparing the necessary proposals to this effect.

This Opinion is accompanied by a draft European Partnership for Croatia which identifies the priorities which it needs to address in preparing for accession. The Commission will report regularly to the Council on the progress made by Croatia on its preparation for EU membership.

[skorzeny]

Kroatie hoort bij de EU.

Voor mij zijn ze welkom!

Het zijn echte Europeanen die in WO2 bewezen hebben dat ze uit het goede hout zijn gesneden!

[Het Skill Effect]

Ik ben blij dat je er zo over denkt!

[Waldo]

Het gaat gewoon allemaal te snel, Gisteren Letland, vandaag Kroatië, wat morgen?

We kennen de huidige landen behorend tot Europa alleens nog nie en er komt al weer een nieuwtje bij.
Ik zeg niet dat Kroatië niet Europees genoeg is ofzo, maar alles op zijn tijd

[Het Skill Effect]

Kroaten staan er ook niet op te springen om morgen al lid te zijn.

Zou voor teveel inflatie zorgen, maakt de stabiliteit er niet beter op en zorgt voor een toestroom van rijke Europeaantjes die zo graag een huis aan zee willen kopen, zoals de Hollanders onze grensstreek destabiliseren.

Alles op zijn tijd inderdaad.

Als niet lid heb je ook heel wat voordelen. Maar op lange termijn is het lidmaatschap inderdaad het beste.

[maarte]

Oorspronkelijk geplaatst door Waldo

Het gaat gewoon allemaal te snel, Gisteren Letland, vandaag Kroatië, wat morgen?

We kennen de huidige landen behorend tot Europa alleens nog nie en er komt al weer een nieuwtje bij.
Ik zeg niet dat Kroatië niet Europees genoeg is ofzo, maar alles op zijn tijd

idd het gaat allemaal redelijk snel en de vraag is niet, is Kroatië er klaar voor maar dan wel is europa er klaar voor?

[Hrafnar]

Honderd keer liever Kroatië en Servië in de EU als Turkije. Dit zou een positieve bijdrage aan de stabilisering van de Balkan kunnen zijn.

[Jozef Ostyn]

Oorspronkelijk geplaatst door Vlaamse Leeuw

Volgens mij ligt Turkije deels in Europa?

Volgens u ligt Spanje dus deels in Afrika; Frankrijk deels in Zuid-Amerika; enz.?

[Jozef Ostyn]

Kroatië is geografisch; cultuur-historisch en politiek een Europees land. Zij komen dus op termijn zeker in aanmerking voor EU-lidmaatschap mits;
-) zij verder een stabiele democratische rechtsstaat uitbouwen
-) zij hun economie op peil krijgen
-) zij bereid zijn zich in te schakelen in het Europees project en het Europese acquis over te nemen.

Persoonlijk zie ik ten vroegste een mogelijke toetreding in 2009. Maar misschien is 2014 realistischer.

[kelt]

Pfffff.....

Nog meer van die Oosterlingen erbij........
En de EU is nu al zo een gedrocht,een monster.....

[maarte]

Oorspronkelijk geplaatst door Jozef Ostyn

Kroatië is geografisch; cultuur-historisch en politiek een Europees land. Zij komen dus op termijn zeker in aanmerking voor EU-lidmaatschap mits;
-) zij verder een stabiele democratische rechtsstaat uitbouwen
-) zij hun economie op peil krijgen
-) zij bereid zijn zich in te schakelen in het Europees project en het Europese acquis over te nemen.

Persoonlijk zie ik ten vroegste een mogelijke toetreding in 2009. Maar misschien is 2014 realistischer.

Europa geografisch? Kan u mij zeggen waar de geografische grenzen van europa zijn. Bij mijn weten zijn geografen daar zelf nog niet uit. Met u drie punten ben ik het echter volkomen eens.