EC/Croatia agreement: stabilisation and association agreement, protocol after the 2004 enlargement

PURPOSE : to update the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) between Croatia and the EU following the accession of ten new Member States. PROPOSED ACT : Council and Commission Decision. CONTENT : following the accession of ten new Member States to the EU in May 2004, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with the Croatia to update the previously agreed Stabilisation and Association Agreement by drawing up a Protocol to the SAA. The Protocol itself covers certain technical adjustments linked to institutional and legal developments within the EU and seeks to reflect the EU's new landscape following enlargement. The Commission has now completed these negotiations. The proposal includes firstly, a Council Decision on the signature of the Protocol and secondly, a Commission Decision on the conclusion of the Protocol.�