´We are celebrating this historic event with our Croatian friends: within 20 years as an independent republic, Croatia has changed tremendously. It has made impressive progress towards meeting the EU membership criteria. This is being rewarded today´, said Stefan Fülle, EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy

The decision marks a successful end to six-years of negotiations during which Croatia has been asked not only to adopt new laws and regulations to comply with EU standards, but also to implement them, thus proving the reforms have taken an irreversible course of action. Accession negotiations between the EU and Croatia, consisting of 35 negotiating chapters covering the whole range of EU policies and rules, started in October 2005. At the final accession conference in Brussels today, EU Member States agreed to close the remaining policy chapters under negotiations, including in two key areas: judiciary and fundamental rights, and competition policy.

It was agreed by Member States that the Commission will closely monitor up to the date of accession Croatia´s fulfilment of the commitments undertaken in the negotiations and its continued preparations to assume the responsibilities of EU membership upon accession.

At a press conference held at the EU Information Centre in Zagreb, the Head of the EU Delegation Paul Vandoren congratulated citizens of Croatia, emphasising this is a win-win situation for everybody, the European Union, the Republic of Croatia and the Croatian citizens. He added that Croatia´s success is a leading example of the European perspective for the whole South East Europe.

Find out more on the website of the Delegation.  

Source: Press Release by the EC Delegation to Croatia. In order to receive the monthly electronic EUbulletin of the EU Delegation to Croatia and other EU-related information, please register here.