Mladen ANDRLIC
Croatie
Mladen Andrlic est né à Pula (Croatie) et a étudié l'économie à l'Université de Zagreb, où il a soutenu sa thèse de doctorat, avant de devenir conseiller scientifique à l'Institut pour les Pays en voie de développement, puis à l'Institut pour le Développement et les Relations internationales.
Nommé en 1993 Ministre-Conseiller et Directeur du Département de l'Intégration européenne au Ministère des Affaires étrangères, il dirige en 1996 la Division des Affaires multilatérales de ce même Ministère. Il est ensuite nommé Ambassadeur et Chef adjoint de la Mission de Croatie auprès de l'Union Européenne à Bruxelles. Depuis 1997, il est le Directeur de l'Académie Diplomatique à Zagreb.
Ses diverses fonctions l'ont conduit à représenter la Croatie à de nombreuses conférences internationales, tels que, entre autres, les sommets de l'OSCE, les réunions de la Communauté de travail de la région Alpes-Adriatique et de la région danubienne, ainsi qu'au Conseil de l'Europe, aux négociations avec l'Union Européenne.
Co-auteur de divers ouvrages et d'une quarantaine d'articles scientifiques, l'Ambassadeur Mladen Andrlic a été délégué par le Gouvernement croate pour exposer l'approche croate envers le processus d'intégration européenne. Il mettra plus particulièrement l'accent sur l'approfondissement et l'élargissement de l'Union Européenne.
CROATIAN APPROACH TOWARDS EUROPEAN INTEGRATION PROCESSES
Let me use this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to the brilliant organisers of this important gathering - Paneurope Suisse, and especially to our dedicated colleagues, Marco Pons and André Poulin - in the name of the Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as of the Croatian Paneuropean Union, which I am honoured to represent both here in Gstaad.
Let me first touch upon some more general issues and then come back to the issue of Croatian position and its positioning regarding the European integration processes. Current developmental dilemma on the eve of the new millennium could be well recognised by the overwhelming process of globalisation and competition within the global triangle of USA, EU and Japan. These dilemmas or to say questions and answers to current dilemmas are quite vividly summarised by certain American professors who are saying that current developments are unfolding under the logics of the so-called Four-I Concept meaning I – Industrialisation, I – Internationalisation, I – Integration, I – Individualisation. You can match these four I's in all directions, connections and combinations.
In this – let me say "Clochemerle" of contemporary development, the processes of European integration also play a very important role, of course, most of them are currently circulating around the EU, its deepening and widening. And increasingly, it is not the question of who is going to join the EU of the 15, but how and when. My Austrian colleague has just said among his four final points, that there are some dilemmas and that both the EU and the newcomers are also not in position to have a wider Union. Please do not expect me to provide you with an appropriate answer, but let me stress that Croatia fully supports the Paneuropean idea of one and single United Europe. We are going to answer jointly to the questions of when and how, and the crucial issue is the equal position in this process of enlargement.
Moreover, the Croatian experience during the 1990s confirms that among crucial preconditions for achieving the European standards is the equal approach. In other words, the EU should provide equal opportunities to all the non-members, to all the newcomers. Just to mention, a comparison of situation in Croatia regarding the level of democratisation and accomplishment of the rule of law and human rights, shows certain improvements after 1996 when Croatia has become a full member of the Council of Europe. Being a full member of any organisation you get very different rights and obligations and your attitude becomes much more serious. Even the general public understands the new membership as something quite valuable and unique.
I would like to conclude this general foreword by saying that the openness of European institutions and their willingness to support newcomers becomes very important, even the crucial factor for furthering the process of building the United Europe.
And now let me get to my report on "Croatian approach towards European integration processes particularly regarding its relationship with the EU", which is mostly based upon the Action Plan for European Integration that was just recently published by the Office for European Integration of the Croatian Government to which I have also contributed as a co-editor and co-author.
1. INTRODUCTION
Full membership in the European Union (EU) is a strategic goal of the national policy of the Republic of Croatia. With its 370 million inhabitants and an annual GDP of 6.150 billion US$, the EU, as the most powerful political and economic supranational integration of the world, represents the basis for the process of the European integration.
The orientation of the Croatian Government toward the gradual but fastest possible institutional relationship with the EU is based upon a broad national consensus on the necessity of approaching the EU, including the economic, scientific and other professional circles as well as the representatives of the civil society, but is also shared by the overwhelming majority of the political parties. Such an orientation has been officially proclaimed and repeatedly stated in a number of occasions by the highest officials of the Croatian State Parliament and of the Croatian Government as well as by the Croatian President.
Approaching the EU has been the central part of the Croatian foreign policy strategy ever since it became independent and internationally recognised in 1991 and 1992. In the 1990s, while firmly pursuing its Euro-Atlantic orientation toward the EU and NATO, Croatia had for a number of complex reasons to primarily concentrate on resolving national issues relating to fighting off the aggression, liberating the occupied territories, achieving territorial integrity and re-establishing its full authority, and support peace and stability in the neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Croatia went through its key democratic transformation in the first democratic elections in 1990, shaking off the system of single-party dictatorship and changing to a system of pluralist multi-party democracy. Unlike most of the other States in Central and Eastern Europe, it is going through a double transition : the usual transition from command economy to free market economy, and the transition from the wartime to peacetime economy. With the completion of the process of peaceful reintegration of the Croatian Danubian region on January 15, 1998, the actual peacetime development of Croatia was inaugurated, including its foreign policy, to create conditions for more intensive activities directed at approaching the EU.
Over the past years, Croatia has established good, even partner-like relations with international peacekeeping and monitoring missions through its co-operative attitude and transparent co-operation with the international community within the framework of the crisis management in the former SFRY. When it comes to regional stability, Croatia has played a very important role in creating conditions for the signing of the Dayton Peace Accords for Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1995.
Consequently, it continues to support fully the implementation of the Accords that together with the Washington Accords, guarantee a peaceful and stable development and good protection and survival of the Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina as one of the three constituent peoples. From the very beginning of the activities of SFOR and IFOR in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia rendered them logistic and political support, thus confirming its strategic role as peace generator and unavoidable stability factor in the region.
Signing the Agreement on Normalisation of Relations with Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Croatia has boldly opened a very sensitive process of regulating its relations with the country that started the aggression and caused grave consequences to Croatia.
On the way to the EU, and having been admitted to the membership of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe in 1992, Croatia made a big step froward by being accepted to the Council of Europe in 1996, as its 40th member State. Thus Croatia reinforced its activities aimed at consolidating democracy and the rule of law as well as the protection of human rights.
Since its admission to the Council of Europe, Croatia – beside signing the basic conventions, the European Convention for Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms as the most important one – undertook a number of commitments the fulfilment of which being monitored by the Parliamentary Assembly and the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.
As a member State of the Central European Initiative (CEI), particularly with its constructive approach during the 1998 presidency within the CEI, Croatia has shown that it is strategically interested in the development of regional co-operation and good neighbourly relations, and it has also made moves to reinforce the political dialogue between CEI and EU. Croatia thus significantly reaffirmed its Central-European orientation and identity. In year 2000, Croatia will take over the presidency of the Working Community of Danube Regions, which will be an excellent opportunity for an additional international promotion of its Danubian dimension in an adequate peacetime atmosphere of the region at large.
In support of the idea of the Italian Republic for an establishment of an Adriatic Initiative, Croatia continues to fully participate in the preparatory activities for an institutionalisation of the co-operation in the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. Likewise, Croatia is actively engaged in the preparation of further reforms in the Alps-Adria Working Community whose member it has been ever since 1978.
Croatia makes efforts to complete negotiations on its membership to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) by the end of 1999. The realisation of this important goal will give a new impetus to the conclusion of free trade agreements with member States, of the Central European Free Trade Association (CEFTA), which is also among the national development priorities.
In the light of new developments in the region in 1999, Croatia wishes to contribute to a momentary improvement of its relations to the EU which would soon lead to establishment of contractual relations, through intensive political dialogue and technical assistance.
2. RELATIONS BETWEEN CROATIA AND THE EU DURING THE 1990s
With the tectonic changes in the geopolitical map of Europe which started with pulling down of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and caving in of the complete communist system in Central and Eastern Europe, all new democracies momentarily turned and opened toward Western Europe and its institutions. Under such circumstances, the EU i.e. EC, closely following also the respective processes of acquiring independence by individual States or dissolution of the former federations, has set up certain requirements, equal for all, which such States have to meet in order to be internationally recognised.
In the process of dissolution of the former SFRY in 1991, the EC played a very important role aimed at preventing conflicts and finding a solution for the looming crisis through the mechanisms of the European Political Co-operation, frequent Troika visits, and by presenting various proposals. In spite of all good will, these efforts regrettably remained futile, and the Serb (Yugoslav) aggression came down heavily first on Slovenia, then on Croatia, and then on Bosnia and Herzegovina, and – hopefully for the last time – on Kosovo. From the EC point of view, the timing of the crisis in the former SFRY could hardly be worse. It was the time when the EC member States entered the final stage of negotiations on the Maastricht Treaty on the European Union. The apparent contradiction between the uniting Europe on one hand and the blood-smeared disintegration of a European federal multinational State on the other, caused some EC member States to hesitate to recognise the independence of the former SFRY republics, Croatia and Slovenia. However, based on the Badinter Commission opinions and strong political advocacy by individual EC member States, as well as on the bases of meeting the established requirements, the then twelve EC member States recognised the Republic of Croatia (and the Republic of Slovenia) on January 15, 1992.
Bearing in mind that the EU has not contractually regulated relations with Croatia and that the 1980 Co-operation Agreement with the former SFRY – pursuant to which Croatia, as one of the republics of the former State, had some institutional contacts to EC – was abolished by a decision of the EU Council of Ministers of November 25, 1991, it is necessary to say that mutual trade relations are regulated through unilateral provisions of the EU Council of Ministers. That is to say, the EC i.e. EU Council has regularly – since 1992 – renewed the autonomous trade preferences at the beginning of each calendar year.
Regarding the PHARE programme, as the most important instrument of the EU assistance to the transition countries in Central and Eastern Europe, it should be noted that Croatia was among the few States, which throughout the 1990s could not benefit from these funds. It was only during the short period between the Flash and Storm operations – or more accurately between June 12, 1995, and August 4, 1995 – that Croatia was formally a beneficiary of the PHARE funds. However, in spite of very thorough preparations by Croatia and the effective co-operation with EC experts, and a Memorandum signed with the European Commission on the implementation of important projects, mostly for infrastructure, they were never implemented.
A similar thing has happened to the Co-operation Agreement between Croatia and the EU. After several rounds of negotiations, when it only remained to adjust a minimum open issues relating to goods lists in the Agreement Annexes, the EU Council of Ministers, in its decision of August 4, 1995, unilaterally suspended negotiations on the Co-operation Agreement and froze the implementation of the PHARE programme in Croatia. By the way, the then Draft Co-operation Agreement represented a somewhat more elaborate version of the first generation agreement which the EU (pursuant to Art. 113 of the Treaty establishing the EEC) concluded with States of Central and Eastern Europe, e.g. with Slovenia in 1993.
After the signing of the Dayton Paris Peace Accords, the EU inaugurated the Process of Good-Neighbourliness and Co-operation known as the Royaumont Process. In the activities of the Process, Croatia was actively involved from the very beginning, with some results achieved in the field of co-operation between NGOs, media, and scientific co-operation.
Over the past years, the EU and individual EU member States rendered Croatia valuable humanitarian aid, as well as financial assistance in the process of reconstruction of the areas devastated in the war. The EU member States were the most generous donors at the Conference on the Reconstruction and Development of the Republic of Croatia in December 1998. According to the latest information of the European Commission, in the 1991-1999 period the EU allocated 349,7 million Euro to Croatia, and the member States allocated bilaterally a total of 1165,9 million Euro (1990-1997), which is 1515,6 million Euro in all. Another 511.0 million Euro of the EBRD should be added to this figure. It should be also noted that Croatia did not benefit from the PHARE funds or the EIB loans, and that its balance of payment was not directly supported by the European Union.
When it comes to the political relations between Croatia and the EU, since 1996 they have been dominated by the framework of the regional approach policy of the EU towards Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, FRY and Macedonia. It started with the main goal of the regional approach policy to consolidate peace and stability in the region, as well as to attempt to secure effective implementation of the Dayton and Erdut Accords.
3. NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN THE LIGHT OF THE STABILITY PACT FOR SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE
The Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe is one of the essential novelties in the EU policy toward this part of Europe and an attempt to unite by coherent approach of all international organisations and key States efforts for finding solution to lasting peace and stability in the region. The goal of the Pact is to promote and specifically strengthen stability in the region in all segments of security, economy and democracy, and thus make it easier for the South Eastern European States to approach and join the Euro-Atlantic integration process. In this, Croatia sees an opportunity to intensify its relations with the EU through an active approach to the implementation of the Pact, as it did during the drafting of the Pact.
From the Croatian viewpoint, it is important to note that the Pact represents the broadest framework for South Eastern European States, with different degrees of institutional relations to the EU. In the process of their stabilisation, the implementation through a regional table will be decisive, under which there will be three working tables - for democracy, economy and security - to be supported by international and regional organisations and initiatives and financial institutions.
Croatia sees the strategic importance of the Pact, accepting its basic points and insisting on its implementation to be based on the principles of transparency, rationality, efficiency, and equality of all participants. Croatia expects the Pact to facilitate and accelerate its approach to the Euro-Atlantic integration, to strengthen the stability in the region, and its economic aspect will effectively contribute to the reconstruction and development process. Efficient implementation of the Pact will directly depend on the organisation and functioning of the regional and working tables. In this connection Croatia is ready to be actively and constructively involved.
On the other hand, the Communication of the European Commission on the Stabilisation and Association Process for Countries of South Eastern Europe of May 26, 1999 is extremely important for the further dynamics and quality of relations between Croatia and the EU. The Process provides very direct opportunities for becoming a part of the so called long-term common strategy for the western Balkans to be adopted by the European Council at the end of the Finnish Presidency of the EU. Unlike the 1997 regional approach, the already known elements for the future Stabilisation and Association Agreement, explicitly note the possibility for the States included to have a perspective for joining the EU, after meeting the requirements of the Amsterdam Treaty and the Copenhagen criteria. According to the document, the prerequisites for the negotiations to begin, remain contained in the conclusions of the EU Council of Ministers of April 1997. Croatia holds that this new type of contractual relations should be adjusted to each State individually in accordance with its specific needs, and that in this way individual approach and relation of each State to the EU can be reflected.
Of course, the concept of the regional co-operation through the Stabilisation and Association Process requires additional explanations. In this respect, Croatia welcomes the intention of the European Commission to enhance co-operation in the development of democracy and civil society and institutions. The initiative to establish co-operation in the field of judiciary and internal affairs is also welcome and considered necessary, especially in the context of more effective border control and combating crime and corruption which rank among priority tasks in Croatia.
4. SOME FINAL REMARKS
It is beyond any doubt that the desire of Croatia to reach its priority strategic goal of becoming a full member State of the EU follows from a close political, economic and cultural connection and co-operation with the EU member States, confirming that in terms of civilisation Croatia belongs to Europe which today is to a great extent symbolised by the EU. Croatia is aware of the fact that it wants and is able to reach its national strategic goal - consolidation of the democratic order based on the free elections and free market economy - within the broad European integration process centred on the EU.
In this connection, Croatia wishes to develop further its democratic stability, economic prosperity and social wellbeing by joining efforts and co-operating with other countries of the democratic Europe. In reaffirming its own identity and role, Croatia wishes to make its contribution to the political and economic development of both Europe at large and its nearest neighbourhood that primarily needs peace, stability, economic development and reconstruction. In the realisation of its goal, Croatia is ready to do what it takes, provided that the conditions are equal as for all the other States applying for the EU membership.
In this context, it seems worth mentioning the conclusions of the European Council held in Copenhagen on June 21-22, 1993, which require the applicants for a full membership to show :
The aforementioned conclusions from Copenhagen also mention the Union's capacity to absorb new members, while maintaining the momentum of European integration. For Croatia, there are general and specific requirements contained in the conclusions of the EU Council of Ministers of April 1997, which in the broadest sense can also be identified within the Copenhagen criteria.
The entry into force of the Amsterdam Treaty caused certain amendments to Art. O, which deals with the possibility for each and every European State to apply for EU membership. The amended Article invokes Art. F (1), which stipulates that the Union is based on the principles of freedom, democracy, respect for human rights and freedoms, and the rule of law. This additionally has strengthened the political segment of the membership requirements, which Croatia fully understands and supports, and which is consistent with its national interests.
Looking back on the difficulties that Croatia had to overcome in the last ten years or so, including the process of becoming independent and creating institutions of State, changing from war to peacetime, and transition from the command economy to free market economy, it is now facing new developmental challenges in meeting the requirements for EU membership.
However, Croatia is ready to continue with its political, economic, legal and institutional reforms and adjustments, to be able to accept a demanding acquis communautaire. In this complex and gradual process, Croatia is still expecting more appropriate direct assistance by the EU institutions, which is common for other transition countries of Central and Eastern Europe.