EU adopts Annual Programme for Croatia

Summary: June 6, 2003: European Commission adopts Annual Programme for Croatia (Brussels)

The European Commission has adopted its Annual Programme for Croatia. In 2003, within the Community Assistance for Reconstruction, Development and Stabilisation (CARDS) Programme, a total of € 62 million will be spent in assisting Croatia in its reform and modernisation efforts. Since 1991, the European Union has been the largest assistance donor to the Western Balkans.

Croatia - Priorities within the Annual Programme 2003 (€ 62 million)

1. Economic and social development (€ 17.5 million)

Trade (€2.5 million)

To enhance and facilitate trade in industrial products, agricultural products and processed agricultural products, and increase Croatia's capacity in the phytosanitary services.

Investment climate (€ 6.15 million)

To contribute to the reform of land registry in Croatia. To improve the legal and institutional framework affecting private sector development. To improve the Agency for Protection of Market Competition's institutional and administrative capacity in order to enable it to align Croatia's Competition policy with EU standards and best practices. To foster economic development by providing effective protection of intellectual property rights in Croatia.

Social Cohesion (€ 8.85 million)

Upgrade vocational education and training by establishing centres of excellence. Decentralisation and reorganisation of the Croatian employment service in order to achieve a better match between labour market needs and supply. Upgrading labour market statistics to improve, broaden and enhance data collection and processing in line with the EU standards.

2. Democratic stabilisation (€ 17 million)

Return of refugees and internally displaced people (€ 15 million)

To contribute to democratic stabilisation by facilitating the return of refugees to war-affected areas.

Civil society (€ 2 million)

To promote democracy and human rights in view of the Copenhagen criteria. To improve the quality of social services, thus contributing to the fight against poverty and inequality.

3. Justice and Home Affairs (€ 12 million)

Modernisation of Justice (€ 4 million)

To improve the skills of prosecutors, judicial and non-judicial court personnel and Ministry of Justice officials, as well as support for a more efficient, effective and modern Croatian Court system.

Policing and organised crime (€3 million)

To strengthen the capacity of both the Ministry of Interior and General Police Directorate to improve policing, the fight against organised crime and terrorism, and money laundering.

Integrated border management (€ 5 million)

To support Border Sanitary Inspection and to strengthen Croatia's capacity to apply EU phytosanitary standards. To develop a national border management information system to combat cross border crime and illegal migration, as well as continued support for the Border Police Directorate.

4. Administrative capacity building (€ 11.8 million)

Public Administration Reform (€ 6 million)

To support the decentralisation process and an independent and accountable public administration, in line with EU standards and practices. To support civil service reform and legal framework development.

National, regional and local development (€ 3 million)

To enhance Croatia's development planning capacity through the elaboration of a National Development Plan, based on wide consensus and in line with EU best practice. To continue the development of accurate regional statistics. To promote the development of Croatia's border region as well as trans-national integration.

Public Finance (€ 2.8 million)

To contribute to the development and implementation of a well-functioning public internal financial control system, in line with EU practice.

5. Environment and natural resources (€3.7 million)

To ensure the efficient implementation of EU water management standards. To implement Environmental Impact Assessment guidelines and training to increase the sustainability of development projects in Croatia. To assist the ratification and implementation of the Aarhus Convention by promoting and enabling access to environmental information and public participation in decision making. To support civil society in the field of environment.

The Western Balkans - Background Information

Since 1991, the European Commission has committed more than € 6.1 billion of EC funding to the Western Balkans.

For the period 2000 - 2006, € 4.650 billion have been programmed to assist the five countries of the Western Balkans in their progress towards greater European integration.

The priorities and actions of the Annual CARDS Programmes are identified in the EC's 2002 - 2006 Strategy Papers for the region and reflect those areas in which the EU has a particular contribution to make. Country Strategy Papers were introduced in 2001 as part of a wider programme of Commission reforms in the field of External Assistance. Their purpose is to improve the coherence of the policy toward third countries. Country Strategy Papers and Annual Programmes are developed in collaboration with national governments, Member States, other donors, and where possible, with representatives of civil society.

For more information please refer to:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/see/croatia/index.htm

http://europa.eu.int/comm/europeaid/projects/cards/index_en.htm

Ref: EC03-148EN
EU source: European Commission
UN forum:
Date: 6/6/2003

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