Accession talks proper all set to start for Croatia and Turkey

The Commission has recommended opening the first of 35 chapters of detailed accession talks with candidates Croatia and Turkey.

Pending the unanimous support of the EU-25 states, the Commission says it is ready to open the first detailed accession talks with Croatia and Turkey on the Science and Research chapter. Having been screening the two candidate states’ legislations since the formal launch of accession talks in October 2005, the Commission now believes that both candidate states have “reached a good level of alignment with and capacity to implement the acquis” for the start of membership talks proper.

The chapter on Science and Research (No. 25) is considered one of the least complex chapters. It does not require candidate states to transpose any EU rules into their national legislation. Instead, it obliges them to implement the Union’s 6th Framework Programme (FP6) and the Euratom Framework Programme on nuclear research, and it also expects them to allocate adequate budgetary resources and “improve capacity building” in EU-funded research programmes.

Once there is unanimous support from the EU-25, Croatia and Turkey will be asked to prepare their respective negotiating positions for chapter 25. According to EU sources, the chapter on Education and Culture (No. 26) – another relatively easy subject area – will be the next to be opened for detailed accession talks. 

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