The European Union Parliament recently adopted a resolution to complete Croatia’s EU membership negotiations within the first half of 2011. The resolution said that Croatia has made substantial progress in introducing reforms, but includes a condition that Zagreb must continue to push ahead with reforms. More specifically, it stated that Croatia has done well in the areas of constitutional amendments, judicial reforms, and cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, but that it still faces challenges in fighting corruption, support for refugees returning to Croatia, and the restructuring of shipyards. The resolution also said that Croatia needs to proceed quickly with the prosecution of war crimes and improve witness protection.
Croatia says it hopes to join the 27-member European Union in 2012, but a more realistic date is likely sometime in 2013 or 2014.