Press Release: Commission recommends negotiations on a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with Croatia

Further enhancement of bilateral relations between the EU and Croatia is expected following the positive assessment of the Commission feasibility report on Croatia adopted on 24.5.00. The positive conclusions of the report are the first step towards the possible establishment of contractual relations between the EU and the Republic of Croatia in the form of a Stabilisation and Association Agreement.

The feasibility report is part of the Stabilisation and Association Process for the countries of South-Eastern Europe, established by the EU in 1999 (see IP/99/350). This framework provides for a wide-ranging partnership, comprising political dialogue, regional cooperation, free trade in goods, approximation of legislation, cooperation in home and justice affairs and economic and financial cooperation, through the creation of Stabilisation and Association Agreements. The opening of negotiations for such agreements depends on compliance with the relevant political and economic conditions.

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