This document outlines the institutional implications of the accession of Croatia to the European Union as it becomes its 28th Member State.

European Commission: appointment of new Commissioner

Mr Neven Mimica was named by Croatia as Commissioner-designate on 25 April 2013. President Barroso has indicated his intention to assign to Mr Mimica the portfolio of consumer protection.

After the necessary consultation of the European Parliament earlier in June, the Council will now appoint, by common accord with the President of the Commission, the new Commissioner, so as to allow him to take up his post on 1 July 2013.

Mr Neven Mimica is currently the Deputy Prime Minister for Home, Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia. He has a long-standing commitment to European integration with extensive experience as a Minister and diplomatic adviser.

Seats in the European Parliament

Croatia will hold 12 seats in the European Parliament. The first elections for Members of the European Parliament took place in Croatia on 14 April. In accordance with the Lisbon Treaty, the number of Members of the European Parliament must be reduced from 766 after Croatia's accession to 751 – this will be applicable for the elections in 2014.

European Council

Croatia will have 7 votes. The qualified majority threshold will raise to 260 (out of a total of 352 votes).

Representation of the European Commission in Croatia

On 1 July, the current Delegation of the European Union will close its doors, and, instead, a Commission Representation will open. The latter’s role is to support the Members of the Commission, to provide political information and analysis to headquarters, to speak for the Commission as an interface with national regional and local authorities as well as the media, and to reach out to citizens.

Since the new Representation will not have the same diplomatic function as the previous Delegation, the size of the Representation will be less than one-fourth the size of the Delegation (18 staff members plus the Head of Representation). The appointment of the first Head of the Commission Representation has been announced today, 20 June – see IP/13/591

The new premises of the Representation are in the centre of town: Ban Centar, Ulica Augusta Cesarea 4-10, HR 10 000 Zagreb. This “Europe House” will also host the European Parliament Information Office. This ensures cost efficiency and optimises the space for both European Union Institutions to welcome interested citizens and visitor groups.

The official inauguration of the "Europe House" in Zagreb will be on 1 July.

Croatian officials joining the EU institutions

Until now, competitions addressed to Croatian citizens for 375 posts in all EU institutions have been launched. More than 9000 applications have been received. There has been effective collaboration between the European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO), the Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the European Commission Delegation in Zagreb, the Commission's Directorate-General for Translation, our EU Careers Ambassador and media contractors in order to conduct targeted information campaigns on each of the competitions.

The European Commission's own overall recruitment target is 249 recruitments by 1 July 2018, of which, per function group:

• 149 recruitments at administrator level

• 100 recruitments at assistant level

Out of the 149 recruitments at administrator level, the management recruitment targets are:

• 1 recruitment at Director-General Level

• 3 recruitments at Director level

• 12 recruitments at middle-management level

Accession events

President Barroso, Vice-President Reding and Commissioner Füle will participate in the accession events in Croatia on 30 June and 1 July. Detailed information will be released in the next days.

For more information:

http://www.croatia-in-the-eu.eu/

http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/countries/detailed-country-information/croatia/index_en.htm

Audio-visual material:

http://ec.europa.eu/avservices/focus/index.cfm?sitelang=en&focusid=310

Source: EC press release