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2nd meeting, 5 October 2007, Split
CONCLUSIONS
Issued by the two co-presidents,
Ms Lidija Horvatić and Ms Anne-Marie Sigmund
The EU-Croatia Civil Society Follow-up Committee is made of twelve members, six from each side, representing the European Economic and Social Committee and civil society organisations of Croatia. The Follow-up Committee is chaired by Ms Lidija Horvatić, Director for International Relations of the Croatian Employers Association (HUP) and Ms Anne-Marie Sigmund, EU adviser for the Federal Committee of Liberal Professions (Austria) and former President of the EESC.
The Follow-up Committee complements the bodies already existing within the framework of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the EU and Croatia. It allows civil society organisations from both sides to monitor the accession negotiations and to prepare the accession of Croatia. It also plays an essential role in disseminating information both in the EU and Croatia and in initiating debates on issues of common interest among citizens.
For this second meeting, the members of the EU-Croatia Civil Society Follow-up Committee were honoured by the presence of Mrs Marija Pejčinović Burić, State Secretary for European Integration of the Republic of Croatia, Mr Dimitris Dimitriadis, President of the European Economic and Social Committee, H.E Luís José Moreira da Silva Barreiros, Ambassador of Portugal to Croatia, representing the Presidency of the EU Council of Ministers, and Mr David Hudson, Head of the Political, Economic, Trade and Press & Information Section (Delegation of the European Commission to Croatia).
The participants discussed the two reports prepared in relation to the content of chapter 20 of the acquis communautaire, i.e. "Enterprise and Industrial Policy". They noted and welcomed the good process initiated by the Croatian authorities in order to elaborate a full-fledged industrial strategy. They also noted that the implementation of the European Charter for Small Enterprises is going on smoothly. Nevertheless, the restructuring of public enterprises should be speeded up. The Croatian authorities should also adopt more measures enabling more competitiveness for enterprises. Furthermore, the continuation of the current resolute fight – in an integrated approach – against corruption would also directly contribute to a more favourable business environment, including attraction of foreign investments.
The participants also stressed that privatisations as well as reductions of state aids recommended within the context of accession negotiations should be undertaken in a way to preserve social cohesion. Social partners should be involved at all stages of those processes. Retraining of workers should also be offered.
The participants discussed the state of play of accession negotiations between the EU and Croatia. They warmly welcomed the latest progresses made: they took note that so far twelve chapters have been opened for negotiations, out of which two have been provisionally closed (chapters 25 and 26). Croatia submitted negotiating positions for further seven chapters: Consumer and Health Protection; External Relations; Trans-European Networks; Transport Policy; Energy; Freedom of movement for workers; Financial and Budgetary Provisions. It expects therefore their opening during the Portuguese Presidency of the EU Council of Ministers. Croatia sent documents necessary for the fulfilment of the opening benchmarks for two chapters: Justice, Freedom and Security; and Social Policy and Employment. The Follow-up Committee also called for the effective continuation of work on all the other chapters.
The participants also discussed the draft opinion on "Croatia on the way to accession" prepared by Mrs Sigmund. They agreed that organised civil society is not only an important consultative partner in the process of shaping opinions and policy during the accession round, but that it will also have a vital and continuing role to play after the accession. Efficient civil society organisations, which meet the essential qualitative and quantitative representativeness criteria, are essential for breathing life into the participatory element of a modern democracy. They will be essential to Croatia, as a new EU member State, in the implementation of the country’s new legislation.
Finally, the Follow-up Committee decided to change its name into "EU-Croatia Joint Consultative Committee".
In addition to the ongoing monitoring of the accession negotiations, the Joint Consultative Committee will deal specifically with the issue of "Social policy and Employment" (chapter 19) at its next meeting. It will take place in March 2008.
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