OverviewThe EU opened accession negotiations with Turkey and Croatia on 3 October 2005 (separate accession conferences at foreign minister level).
The accession conference with Croatia at foreign minister level provisionally closed Chapter 25 (Science and Research) on 12 June 2006 and Chapter 26 (Education and Culture) on 12 December 2006.
The accession conference with Turkey at foreign minister level provisionally closed Chapter 25 (Science and Research) on 12 June 2006.
At the second Accession Conference with Croatia at deputy level on 21 December 2006, the following chapters were opened: Chapter 17 (Economic and Monetary Policy), Chapter 20 (Enterprise and Industrial Policy) and Chapter 29 (Customs Union). Chapter 7 (Intellectual Property Law) was opened at Croatia's Accession Conference at deputy level on 29 March 2007. Six chapters were opened at Croatia's Accession Conference at ministerial level on 26 June 2007: Chapter 3 (Right of Establishment and Freedom to Provide Services), Chapter 6 (Company Law), Chapter 9 (Financial Services), Chapter 10 (Information Society and Media), Chapter 18 (Statistics) and Chapter 32 (Financial Control). Two chapters were opened at the Accession Conference at deputy level on 12 October 2007: Chapter 28 (Consumer and Health Protection) and Chapter 30 (External Relations). Chapter 21 (Trans-European Networks) and Chapter 33 (Financial and Budgetary Provisions) were opened at Croatia's Accession Conference at deputy level on 19 December 2007. At Croatia’s last Accession Conference at deputy level on 21 April 2008, further two chapters were opened: Chapter 14 (Transport Policy) and Chapter 15 (Energy).
Chapter 20 (Enterprise and Industrial Policy) was opened at the second Accession Conference with Turkey at deputy level on 29 March 2007. At Turkey's third Accession Conference at ministerial level on 26 June 2007, two chapters were opened – Chapter 18 (Statistics) and Chapter 32 (Financial Control). Further two chapters were opened at the fourth Accession Conference with Turkey at ministerial level on 19 December 2007: Chapter 21 (Trans-European Networks) and Chapter 28 (Consumer and Health Protection).
The screening of separate negotiating chapters, which has been conducted by the European Commission separately for Turkey and Croatia, is now completed; however, not all screening reports are available yet. The screening process involves a comparison of European law and the legislation of a respective candidate country with a view to identifying potential problems with the implementation of the acquis and deciding on the need for possible transitional periods and solutions. Following the completion of the screening, the Commission will produce a screening report on the basis of which the Member States will decide whether the accession candidate may be invited to present its negotiating position on a specific chapter, or whether to set benchmarks that have to be met beforehand.
The negotiations will be conducted at an Intergovernmental Conference involving all EU Member States and the respective candidate country, and decisions will be taken unanimously. The negotiations with Turkey and Croatia on accession are being conducted independently of each other. This is an open-ended process with an outcome that cannot be guaranteed in advance.
The negotiations will be based on a new approach that reflects the experience acquired with the eastern enlargement of the EU. The most important new element is the fact that implementation and monitoring will take place before the conclusion of the negotiations. This will be done by laying down and reviewing the benchmarks for the closure and, where appropriate, for the opening of each of the 35 negotiating chapters. This is intended to ensure that new Member States actually fulfil their contractual obligations immediately upon accession or immediately after any agreed transitional periods have expired. Another new element is the possibility to agree upon exceptions and permanent safeguard clauses in the fields of freedom of movement, agriculture and structural policy.
