Thursday 28 February 2008

New Accession Partnerships for Candidate countries

The European Council has adopted a decision revising the accession partnerships with Croatia and Turkey.

The Council formally adopted the partnership with Croatia on 12 February and with Turkey on 18 February, both of which have updated principles, priorities and conditions.

Although the agreement with Croatia does not distinguish between objectives with different timeframes as in the partnership agreed with Turkey, there are key priorities that Zagreb must implement immediately. These include ensuring the proper implementation of the stabilisation and association agreement (SAA); updating and implementing the strategy and action plan for judicial reform and the anti-corruption programme; rapidly adopting and implementing a strategic framework for public administration; implementing the Constitutional Law on National Minorities; maintaining full cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia; and pursuing efforts to bring reconciliation among citizens in the region, as well as enhancing efforts to find solutions to ongoing problems with Slovenia, Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Turkey’s commitments include short term priorities related to democracy and the rule of law; human rights (including civil, political, economic and social rights, minority rights and cultural rights); regional issues and international obligations and assuming the acquis. Longer-term commitments refer to economic criteria and the ability to assume the obligations of membership.


Links:
Press Release: Council adopts a revised accession partnership with Croatia: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/misc/98712.pdf Press Release: Council adopts a revised accession partnership with Turkey: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/misc/98784.pdf

Information provided by Rebecca Steel, TRIALOG Policy Officer

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