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European Union

EU Expands into Heart of Former Yugoslavia, Offers Croatia Fast-Track Membership

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Croatia, with a population of 4.7m people, is poised to become the next country from the former Yugoslavia to join the European Union, with a declaration expected next week that it has met the necessary criteria for membership. However, the country's progress will depend on its continued cooperation with war crimes investigators and the handing over of wanted war criminals to the international tribunal in The Hague.

Croatia's bid for EU membership has been fueled by its foreign minister, Miomir Zuzul, who has made EU membership the country's top foreign policy priority. The country has already made significant strides in meeting the EU's criteria, including signing a stabilization and association agreement in 2001 and showing improvements in its administration and judicial standards.

Key Takeaways:

  • Croatia, with a population of 4.7m people, is expected to start membership talks with the EU next week, provided it continues to cooperate with war crimes investigators.
  • Croatia hopes to become an EU member as early as 2007 and would join Romania and Bulgaria as the next countries in line to join the EU.
  • The EU enlargement commissioner, Gunter Verheugen, sees Croatia's bid as a vital step towards boosting democracy in the western Balkans, including in neighboring Serbia and Montenegro.
  • Croatia has already made significant strides in meeting the EU's criteria, including signing a stabilization and association agreement in 2001 and showing improvements in its administration and judicial standards.
  • The country's progress will depend on its continued cooperation with war crimes investigators, including the handing over of wanted war criminals to the international tribunal in The Hague.
  • The Irish EU presidency has indicated that it is prepared to put Croatian membership to EU leaders at the summit in June, provided the Commission gives the application the green light.
  • Germany has called for a "speedy rapprochement" between Croatia and the EU, but emphasized the need for constructive cooperation with the Hague prosecutors.
  • Serbia and Montenegro face difficult delays in improving relations with the EU due to continued trouble in Serbia's breakaway province of Kosovo and the complicated Serb-EU relations following the election of a new government in Belgrade.

Statistics:

  • Croatia's population: 4.7m people
  • EU membership talks expected to start next week
  • Croatia's bid for EU membership: 2007 as possible accession date
  • Croatia's support among EU member states: 100% expected
  • Number of EU member countries: 25 (pre-expansion)
  • Number of new EU member countries: 10 (expected post-expansion)
  • Enlargement commissioner: Gunter Verheugen
  • EU presidency: Irish
  • German stance on Croatian membership: "speedy rapprochement"

Sources:

  • European Union enlargement commissioner, Gunter Verheugen
  • Croatian foreign minister, Miomir Zuzul
  • Irish EU presidency
  • German government
  • FT (Financial Times) interview with Vojislav Kostunica, Serbian prime minister

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