Gerard Murphy (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 22: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position regarding possibleCroatian membership of the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26879/05]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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EU accession negotiations with Croatia opened early on 4 October in Luxembourg.

Croatia applied for membership of the European Union in 2003. Under the Irish Presidency, the June 2004 European Council agreed that Croatia fulfilled the Copenhagen political criteria and the specific conditions established for the countries of the western Balkans. The European Council decided that Croatia was a candidate country for membership, and that accession negotiations should open early in 2005. This decision was confirmed by the December 2004 European Council, which decided that negotiations should open on 17 March 2005, provided there was full cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, ICTY.

When the General Affairs and External Relations Council met in Brussels in March, it was clear that it would not be possible to achieve the unanimous decision of member states required for the opening of accession negotiations. Given concerns on the extent of Croatia's co-operation with the ICTY, the Council postponed the opening of accession negotiations until it was established that Croatia was indeed co-operating fully. At the same time, the Council reaffirmed the commitment of the EU to Croatia's membership, and adopted the necessary negotiating framework.

Meeting in Luxembourg earlier this week, the Council welcomed the report to the Croatia task force by the ICTY chief prosecutor that the country was now co-operating fully with the ICTY, as well as the clear commitment by the Croatian Prime Minister that full co-operation would be maintained until the last remaining indictee was in The Hague, and as long as required by the ICTY. The Council concluded that Croatia had met the outstanding condition for the start of accession negotiations and that negotiations should begin as soon as possible, which they did directly thereafter. The Council also confirmed that sustaining full co-operation with the ICTY would remain a requirement for progress throughout the accession process.