Background document to the 2012 annual report on financial assistance for enlargement (IPA, PHARE, CARDS, Turkey pre-accession instrument, transition facility). Commission staff working document.

Abstract

Following the signature of the Accession Treaty on 9 December 2011, Croatia continued throughout 2012 the implementation of measures to further strengthen its capacity to meet the obligations of membership to the EU. Since 1 July 2013, Croatia is an EU Member State. The National Programme2 for component I adopted in 2012 covers two budgetary years, namely the IPA 2012 Transition Assistance and Institution Building allocation, as well as the 6-month allocation for 2013 (in accordance with the envisaged EU accession of Croatia on 1 July 2013). The total amount of the 2012 and 2013 National Programmes was EUR 46.80 million. The implementation of EU financial assistance in 2012 accompanied these developments by providing further support for completing reforms and building up capacity in the key areas necessary for assuming the obligations of membership, namely in the areas of judiciary and fundamental rights and justice, freedom and security, as well as continuing the efforts of preparing Croatia for the management and implementation of post-accession funds. Furthermore, during 2012 Croatia completed its preparations for the waiver of the ex-antecontrols on procurement in order to achieve full decentralisation of the management and implementation of EU financial assistance prior to accession.