ЕC reportedly considers freezing accession talks with Croatia over proposed fishing zone

14/12/2007

ZAGREB, Croatia -- The European Commission (EC) may freeze accession negotiations on five to six chapters of the acquis over Croatia's plan to activate a protected environmental fishing zone (ZERP) in the Adriatic on January 1st. Italy and Slovenia strongly object to the ZERP. Friday's (December 14th) edition of Vecernji List cites sources in Brussels who say Slovenia, which takes over the EU's rotating presidency in January, will call an extraordinary meeting of EU agriculture ministers on January 7th, to decide whether to block talks in areas related to fishing. That could potentially delay accession to the EU. Prime Minister Ivo Sanader is downplaying the report, saying Slovenia has scheduled no such meeting. (Vecernj List, Vjesnik - 14/12/07, Sabah - 13/12/07)