Croatia
EU integration process
Croatia is a candidate country for EU membership. Croatia was the second country to sign the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) in 2001. This agreement entered into force in February 2005.
Croatia applied for EU membership in 2003 and in October 2005 the accession negotiations were launched. So far Croatia has opened 22 chapters of the negotiations and 7 have been provisionally closed.
Transnational and cross-border programmes with Member States
Continuing cooperation established under the previous EU financial assistance framework, under the second component of IPA Croatia is participating in 2 cross-border programmes with the neighbouring EU Member States, Slovenia and Hungary.
Together with Italy, Slovenia, Greece, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia, Croatia is also taking part in the IPA Adriatic cross-border programme.
Under the European Territorial Co-operation objective of the Structural Funds 2007-2013, Croatia participates in the ERDF transnational programme South-East Europe (SEE) and Mediterranean (MED) programme. Both programmes aim to support the participation of partners from candidate or potential candidate countries in joint trans-national co–operation activities together with partners from EU Member States.
Cross-border programmes with Western Balkan neighbours
Concerning CBC programmes with neighbouring WB potential candidate countries, Croatia is taking part in three programmes – with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia.
The first Calls for Proposals under the programmes with Bosnia and Herzegovina and with Serbia were launched on July 17th, 2009, and closed on October 16th, 2009.
The first Call for Proposals under the programme with Montenegro was launched on August 21st, 2009, and will close on November 18th, 2009.
National IPA CBC Coordinator
Croatian Ministry for Regional Development, Forestry and Water Management (MRRSVG) is the National IPA Component II Coordinator. The Department for the Cross-border Cooperation at the Ministry is in charge of all the activities connected to the cross-border and transnational programmes of the European Union.
CBIB support
Ever since the beginning of project activities, CBIB has established regular communication and coordination with the beneficiaries in Croatia. Direct support was provided to Croatia's partner countries in the preparation of 3 programmes with WB neighbours that Croatia participates in.
In CBIB Phase II, direct support is provided to the national Operating Structure and 2 JTSs located in Zagreb (for the programmes with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia) through a Senior Short-Term Key Expert.
In accordance with the country-specific Work Plan, support is provided through capacity building activities such as on-the-job training and training sessions on the topic of IPA CBC programme management and implementation, project proposal evaluation programme monitoring and audit, as well as in every-day work.