PURPOSE: to include Bulgaria and Romania in the Stabilisation and Associated Agreement between the EU and Croatia.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council and Commission Decision 2009/153/EC, Euratom on the conclusion of the Protocol to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Croatia, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union

CONTENT: to recall, the European Community and its Member States concluded a Stabilisation and Association Protocol with Croatia in 2005 (for more details refer to AVC/2001/0149 ).

This Decision approves, on behalf of the European Community, the European Atomic Energy Community and the Member States. the Protocol to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the EC and their Member States, of the one part, and Croatia, of the other part, to take account of the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the EU.

The Protocol was signed on behalf of the Community on 15 July 2008 in accordance with Council Decision 2008/800/EC, and has been applied on a provisional basis.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: the Protocol shall enter into force when all of the necessary procedures have been completed.

The European Parliament adopted, by 514 votes to 13 with 9 abstentions a legislative resolution giving its assent to the conclusion of a Protocol to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Croatia, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union. The report had been tabled for consideration in plenary by Jacek SARYUSZ- WOLSKI (EPP-ED, PL) on behalf of the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

PURPOSE: to include Bulgaria and Romania in the Stabilisation and Associated Agreement between the EU and Croatia.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

CONTENT: on 17 October, the Commission presented a proposal for a decision aiming to conclude a Protocol to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Croatia, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union (see COM(2007)0612 ).

To recall, the European Community and its Member States concluded a Stabilisation and Association Protocol with Croatia in 2005 (for more details refer to AVC/2001/0149 ).

On 23 October 2006, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations, on behalf of the Community and its Member States, with the Republic of Croatia in order to conclude a Protocol to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Croatia, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union.

These negotiations started on 14 December 2006 and continued until 17 April 2007. The Protocol was initialled by the Commission and the Government of the Republic of Croatia on 19 July 2007.

It was decided that the Protocol should be applied on a provisional basis with effect from 1 August 2007 and subject to its possible conclusion at a later date.

The final Protocol to the EU-Croatia Stabilisation and Association Agreement was signed on behalf of the Community on 15 July 2008 in accordance with Council Decision 2008/800/EC.

The text of the Protocol is attached to the proposal for a decision and can be found in Council doc 15834/07 .

The decision requires the European Parliament’s assent.

PURPOSE: to include Bulgaria and Romania in the Stabilisation and Associated Agreement between the EU and Croatia.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

CONTENT: on 17 October, the Commission presented a proposal for a decision aiming to conclude a Protocol to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Croatia, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union (see COM(2007)0612 ).

To recall, the European Community and its Member States concluded a Stabilisation and Association Protocol with Croatia in 2005 (for more details refer to AVC/2001/0149 ).

On 23 October 2006, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations, on behalf of the Community and its Member States, with the Republic of Croatia in order to conclude a Protocol to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Croatia, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union.

These negotiations started on 14 December 2006 and continued until 17 April 2007. The Protocol was initialled by the Commission and the Government of the Republic of Croatia on 19 July 2007.

It was decided that the Protocol should be applied on a provisional basis with effect from 1 August 2007 and subject to its possible conclusion at a later date.

The final Protocol to the EU-Croatia Stabilisation and Association Agreement was signed on behalf of the Community on 15 July 2008 in accordance with Council Decision 2008/800/EC.

The text of the Protocol is attached to the proposal for a decision and can be found in Council doc 15834/07 .

The decision requires the European Parliament’s assent.

This Council document 15834/07 consists of the final version of the Protocol to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Croatia, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union.

The Committee on Foreign Affairs adopted, according to the simplified procedure (Rule 43(1) of the Rules of Procedure), the report drafted by Jacek SARYUSZ-WOLSKI (EPP-ED, PL) calling on the European Parliament to give its assent to the conclusion of the Protocol to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Croatia, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union.