Accession Treaty: accession of Croatia

2011/0805(NLE)

PURPOSE: Accession Treaty of Croatia to the European Union.

ACT: Council Decision of the European Union of 5 December 2011 on the admission of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union.

CONTENT: in accordance with Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union, and given that the conditions of admission and the adjustments to the Treaties have been met, the Council accepts Croatia’s application for accession to the European Union following a favourable opinion from the Commission and consent from the European Parliament.

Croatia also becomes:

  • a Member of the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community,
  • Party to the Treaty on European Union, the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community, as amended or supplemented by treaties or other acts which entered into force before the accession of the Republic of Croatia.

The Treaty contains several appendixes including provisions relating to the rights and obligations of Member States as well as provisions on the powers and responsibilities of the institutions of the Union shall also apply to Croatia.

Croatia undertakes to accede to:

the principles underlying the European Union, including the provisions of the Schengen acquis, relevant provisions of the Economic and Monetary Union, all agreements between the EU and third countries and major international organisations, including to which the EU is a party and to which Croatia shall also become a Party;

- technical adjustments to the Treaties (particularly institutional matters to take into account the arrival of Croatia in the various EU institutions);

- a series of temporary and transitory measures;

- financial provisions (to determine the financial contribution of Croatia to certain EU bodies such as the EIB or other specific funds, ...);

- provisions on the monitoring of the reforms undertaken by Croatia (including the commitments made by Croatia in the area of ​​judiciary and fundamental rights, impartial handling of war crime cases and the fight against corruption ...).

If Croatia fails to fulfil commitments undertaken in the context of the accession negotiations, including commitments in any sectoral policy which concerns economic activities with a cross-border effect, thereby causing a serious breach of the functioning of the internal market or a threat to the Union's financial interests or an imminent risk of such a breach or threat, the Commission may, until the end of a period of up to three years after accession, upon reasoned request of a Member State or on its own initiative, take appropriate measures.

These measures shall be proportionate and priority shall be given to measures which least disturb the functioning of the internal market and, where appropriate, to the application of the existing sectoral safeguard mechanisms.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: this treaty shall enter into force on 1 July 2013, provided that all the ratification instruments have been deposited before this date. Derogations have been provided for in some areas which are detailed in the Accession Treaty.

From the date of accession, all acts deemed applicable to the existing Member States are deemed to apply to Croatia, unless specific exemptions apply.