Croatia

Croatia

Membership status

Member State as of 1st of July 2013

Background

Croatia applied for EU membership in 2003 and was in negotiations from 2005 until 2011.

On 9 December 2011 leaders from the EU and Croatia signed the accession treaty. The country became the 28th EU member country on 1 July 2013.

Throughout the interim period until accession, Croatia as an acceding country already had active observer status in the European Institutions, which allowed it to become familiar with the working methods of the EU institutions and to be involved in the decision-making process.

More information on the country's relations with the EU

Interactive timeline

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01-07-2013
Croatia joins the EU

22-01-2012
66% of voters in referendum wish to join the EU

09-12-2011
EU and Croatia sign accession treaty

06-12-2011
Council adopts decision on admission of Croatia

12-10-2011
Commission issues favourable opinion on Croatia's accession to EU and adopts last progress report

30-06-2011
Last of the 35 negotiating chapters is closed

12-06-2006
1st chapter of accession negotiations – science and research – formally opened and provisionally closed at ministerial-level conference

20-10-2005
'Screening' stage of accession negotiations begins

16-03-2005
EU postpones start of accession negotiations but adopts negotiation framework.

01-02-2005
Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) enters into force

01-12-2004
Council sets 17 March 2005 as start date for negotiations conditional upon full cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia

01-06-2004
Council confirms Croatia as candidate country

01-04-2004
Commission approves Croatia's application for EU membership.

21-02-2003
Croatia applies for EU membership.

29-10-2001
Stabilisation and Association Agreement signed

01-06-2000
Feira European Council states all SAP countries are "potential candidates" for EU membership

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