"I welcome the consent of the European Parliament to the conclusion of the Treaty concerning the accession of the Republic of Croatia to the EU. The European Parliament has now given the historic green light for Croatia to become the 28th Member State of the European Union on 1 July 2013", said Joseph Daul MEP, Chairman of the EPP Group in the European Parliament.

Under the Lisbon Treaty, the European Parliament acquired the right to consent to any Accession Treaty before it is signed. In the Croatian case, the Treaty will be signed by the EU Heads of State and Government on the margins of the European Council on 9 December, with the participation of Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor and Croatian President Ivo Josipović.

"I am looking forward to the signature of the Accession Treaty and to Croatia becoming an acceding State of the European Union, with the right to speak in the European Institutions, particularly with the timely arrival of the Croatian Observer Members to the European Parliament", said Daul.

"Croatia's accession, at a time when the EU has to deal with the challenge of economic and financial crisis, will show that the EU has the strength to continue with integration even in difficult times and it will send a positive signal to the whole region that reforms will be rewarded", added the Chairman.

"I would like to commend two EPP Governments, the Hungarian and the Polish, who have put their stamp firmly on the Croatian accession process. Croatian EU entry negotiations were finalised during the Hungarian Presidency, while the Treaty is now being signed under the Polish Presidency. The EPP Group has consistently supported Croatia on its path to the EU and it will continue to do so under my Chairmanship in order to ensure that the process of ratification of the Accession Treaty is completed in time", concluded Chairman Daul.

For further information:

Joseph DAUL MEP, Chairman of the EPP Group, Tel: +32-2-2847525

Antoine Ripoll, Chairman's Spokesman, Tel: +32-475-856290

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

Notes to Editors:

The EPP Group is by far the largest political group in the European Parliament with 264 Members.