Mission of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union PREPARATORY MEETING for the 12th meeting of the EU-Croatia Joint Parliamentary Committee 18 November 2010 Brussels Exchange of views with Mr. Branko Baričević Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Croatia-EU Relations........................................................................................................... 4 I.1. Progress of the Accession Negotiations ................................................................................ 4 I.2. Intensified political dialogue with the European Parliament......................................................... 5 I. 3. Intensified dialogue with the Committee of Regions................................................................. 7 I. 4. Lisbon Treaty ............................................................................................................ 7 II. Political & Administrative criteria ........................................................................................... 8 II.1. Reform of the Judiciary................................................................................................. 8 Constitutional Court of the Republic of Croatia ........................................................................ 8 Independence – implementation of the uniform, objective and transparent criteria for the selection of the judicial officials ........................................................................................................... 8 Professionalism – the work of the Judicial Academy................................................................... 9 Impartiality ...............................................................................................................10 Efficiency .................................................................................................................10 Rationalization of the court network...................................................................................10 Reduction of pending cases .............................................................................................10 Shortening the court proceedings ......................................................................................11 Introducing modern ITs in judicial system .............................................................................11 Strengthened Anti-Corruption policy.......................................................................................11 Institutional framework for the implementation of the Anti-Corruption Strategy .................................12 Repressive institutional framework - “USKOK vertical” ..............................................................12 Legal framework for the fight against corruption and organised crime .............................................12 Statistical monitoring ....................................................................................................13 Extended confiscation of the pecuniary gain ...........................................................................13 Interagency cooperation .................................................................................................14 International and regional cooperation .................................................................................15 Fight against corruption in the judiciary ................................................................................15 Access to information ....................................................................................................16 Conflict of interests......................................................................................................16 Public procurement ......................................................................................................16 Financing of political parties.............................................................................................16 Prevention ................................................................................................................16 II.2. Home Affairs............................................................................................................16 II.3. Public administration ..................................................................................................18 The Strategic framework of the Pubic Administration Reform.......................................................18 Administrative capacity building .......................................................................................19 Integrity in the civil service .............................................................................................19 Modernisation of the general administrative procedure (and Office Transactions) ................................20 Human resources development .........................................................................................20 Act on the Salaries of Civil Servants....................................................................................20 Professional education and training ....................................................................................20 Local and regional self-government....................................................................................21 II.4. Civil society.............................................................................................................21 II.5. Human Rights and Protection of Minorities ..........................................................................22 II.5.1. Human Rights .....................................................................................................22 Anti-discrimination.......................................................................................................22 Gender Equality ..........................................................................................................23 Children's Rights..........................................................................................................23 People with disabilities..................................................................................................23 Free legal aid.............................................................................................................24 Prison System.............................................................................................................24 II.5.2. National Minorities ...............................................................................................25 Roma Minority............................................................................................................26 III. Specific Stabilisation and Association Criteria ............................................................................27 III.1. Implementation of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement..................................................27 III. 2. Refugee Return .......................................................................................................27 III. 3. ICTY & Domestic war crimes proceedings ..........................................................................28 2 Mission of the Republic of Croatia to the EU Avenue des Arts / Kunstlaan 50 – 1000 Bruxelles / Brussel – Tel. (32-2) 507 54 11 – Fax (32-2) 646 56 64 – http://eu.mfa.hr III.3.1. ICTY...............................................................................................................28 III.3.2. Domestic war crimes proceedings..............................................................................28 III.4. Regional co-operation.................................................................................................29 III.4.1. Multilateral Regional Co-operation.............................................................................29 III.4.2. Bilateral Relations ...............................................................................................32 Bosnia and Herzegovina .................................................................................................32 Republic of Serbia........................................................................................................33 Republic of Kosovo.......................................................................................................35 Montenegro...............................................................................................................36 Republic of Macedonia...................................................................................................36 Republic of Albania ......................................................................................................37 Republic of Slovenia .....................................................................................................38 Italian Republic ..........................................................................................................40 Republic of Hungary .....................................................................................................41 IV. Foreign and Security Policy.................................................................................................43 IV.1. Common Foreign and Security Policy ................................................................................43 IV.2. Union for the Mediterranean .........................................................................................43 IV.3. Common Security and Defence Policy ...............................................................................43