EU Opens Chapters
October 11, 2007
After the move to open the health and consumer protection and foreign relations chapters is formally agreed upon on Friday, Croatia will have opened 14 of the 35 policy chapters which must be successfully negotiated prior to EU membership since its talks with the EU began in October 2005.
The decision, however, comes at a time of tension with Croatia in a row with Italy and Slovenia over fishing rights in the Adriatic Sea which some observers say could muddy the diplomatic waters for Zagreb.
The dispute over Croatia's imposition of a fisheries protection zone and another disagreement over tracing the maritime border between Slovenia and Croatia could hit the membership process at any stage.
European sources said that there is a particular risk of a hiccup in the membership talks when the chapter on security and defense comes up for consideration.
Despite row, Croatia confident of membership
The European Commission urged Croatia not to activate the fisheries protection zone unilaterally, recognizing that the decision could have a negative impact on negotiations, said a spokesman for EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn.
Despite the row, the Croatian government is confident of becoming the EU's 28th member state and hopes to do so in 2009.
Its progress compares very favorably with fellow EU candidate nation Turkey, which began talks at the same time but has so far opened only four policy chapters due to its refusal to trade openly with EU member Cyprus.