The EPP Group Bureau is meeting in Zagreb on 3-4 March 2011 for a conference entitled 'Croatia: a new model for enlargement'. The conference comes at a crucial moment for the approaching conclusion of Croatia's EU accession negotiations.

Only one week later, on 11 March, the European Commission will release an interim report on negotiating Chapter 23, Judiciary and Fundamental Rights, which will evaluate Croatia's progress in this Chapter and give a clear indication when Croatia could expect to conclude negotiations. In its Resolution of 16 February 2011, the European Parliament overwhelmingly supported June 2011 as the target date.

Joseph Daul MEP, Chairman of the EPP Group, Jadranka Kosor, Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia, and Josip Friščić, Deputy Speaker of the Croatian Parliament, will address the participants on 3 March in the morning. Their address will be followed by a panel discussion dedicated to Chapter 23, as a major focus of the meeting, with Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship, Viviane Reding, as key speaker. Also speaking on the panel will be Croatian Justice Minister, Dražen Bošnjaković.

Economic benefits of EU accession will be discussed next, with Croatian Finance Minister, Martina Dalić, speaking about Croatia's preparedness to take on the responsibilities of membership.

On 4 March, the EPP Group will also look into the implications that Croatian accession will have for the enlargement perspectives of its neighbouring countries. Those that will follow Croatia will be negotiating on EU accession according to a new technical and political model. EPP Foreign and EU Ministers from the region will be taking the floor including Croatian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Gordan Jandroković, and Albanian Foreign Minister, Majlinda Bregu.

EU representatives in the region will wrap up the Friday session focusing of EU responsibilities in the region. Main speakers will be Special EU Representative to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Valentin Inzko, and Special EU representative to Kosovo, Peter Feith.

Technical details

The meeting is open to the media.

On Thursday, 3 March at 11.00 hrs, a stand-up press point will take place outside the meeting room with participation of:

    * EPP Group Chairman Joseph Daul
    * Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor
    * European Commission Vice-President Viviane Reding

On Friday, 4 March at 12.00 hrs, a closing press conference will be held.

Photographs from the meeting will be copyright free and made available by the FAH HINA service. For photographs, contact FAH HINA directly.

Programme

The EPP Group Bureau meeting will be streamed live on the EPP Group website

For further information:

Lada Jurica, EPP Group Press & Communications Service, Tel: +32-476-330383

Notes to Editors:

The EPP Group is by far the largest political group in the European Parliament with 265 Members.