Description: Applied for EU membership in 2003.  Completion of all chapters projected for the first part of 2010.

Recent events:
Croatia Could Enter EU In First Half Of 2010.  Croatia's entry into the European Union could occur within
the first half of 2010, according to statements made by European Commission and Croatian officials. The ex-Yugoslav republic's entry into the European Union has been stalled this summer, largely due to a longstanding  maritime border dispute with neighboring Slovenia. European Commissioner Olli Rehn cited several conditions that Croatia must meet, such as resolving the border dispute with Slovenia, improving its judiciary, cooperating with the International Criminal Tribunal for ex-Yugoslavia and reforming its dockyards. If these conditions are met, "We can envisage completing negotiations in the first half of 2010," Rehn told the European Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee in Brussels. Croatian Chief Negotiator Vladimir Drobnjak said in an interview  much of the work aligning Croatia's legal framework with European Union standards has already been completed. "I can say with confidence we have entered the final stage of the process," Drobnjak said. Once the dispute with Slovenia has been worked out, Croatia will be able to wrap up the accession process in well under a year, he said.

Timeline: Expected 2010.

Significance: Free trade zone, labor movements, open market, European Union funds.