2005/40/EC, Euratom: Council and Commission Decision of 13… TITLE VIII — COOPERATION POLICIES

Article 81

1.   The Community and Croatia shall establish a close cooperation aimed at contributing to the development and growth potential of Croatia. Such cooperation shall strengthen existing economic links on the widest possible foundation, to the benefit of both Parties. 2.   Policies and other measures will be designed to bring about the economic and social development of Croatia. These policies should ensure that environmental considerations are also fully incorporated from the outset and that they are linked to the requirements of harmonious social development. 3.   Cooperation policies shall be integrated into a regional framework of cooperation. Special attention will have to be devoted to measures that can foster cooperation between Croatia and its neighbouring countries including Member States, thus contributing to regional stability. The Stabilisation and Association Council may define priorities between and within the cooperation policies described hereinafter.

Economic policy

Article 82

1.   The Community and Croatia shall facilitate the process of economic reform by cooperating to improve understanding of the fundamentals of their respective economies and implementing economic policy in market economies. 2.   To these ends the Community and Croatia shall cooperate to: — exchange information on macroeconomic performance and prospects and on strategies for development; — analyse jointly economic issues of mutual interest, including the framing of economic policy and the instruments for implementing it. — promote wider cooperation with the aim of speeding up the inflow of know-how and access to new technologies. 3.   At the request of Croatian authorities, the Community may provide assistance designed to support the efforts of Croatia towards the gradual approximation of its policies towards those of the Economic and Monetary Union. Cooperation in this area will include informal exchange of information concerning the principles and the functioning of the Economic and Monetary Union and the European System of Central Banks.

Statistical cooperation

Article 83

1.   Cooperation in the area of statistics shall aim at the development of an efficient and sustainable statistical system capable of providing in due time reliable, objective and accurate data needed to plan and monitor the process of transition and reform in Croatia. It shall enable the Central Bureau for Statistics of Croatia to meet better the needs of its customers, both public administration and private businesses. The statistical system shall respect the fundamental principles of statistics issued by the United Nations and the stipulations of the European Statistical law and develop towards the Community acquis. 2.   To this end the Parties may cooperate in particular: — to promote the development of an efficient statistical service in Croatia based on an appropriate institutional framework; — to pursue harmonisation with international and European standards and classification in order to enable the national statistical system to adopt the Community acquis in statistics; — to provide private and public sector economic operators and research community with the appropriate socio-economic data; — to provide data needed to maintain and monitor economic reform; — to ensure the confidentiality of individual data; — to progressively increase data collection and transmission to the European Statistical System. 3.   Cooperation in this field shall include, in particular, exchange of information on methods, transfer of know-how and training.

Banking, insurance and other financial services

Article 84

1.   The Parties shall cooperate with the aim of establishing and developing a suitable framework for the encouragement of the banking, insurance and financial services sectors in Croatia. Cooperation shall focus on: — the adoption of a common accounting system compatible with European standards; — the strengthening and restructuring of the banking, insurance and other financial sectors; — the improvement of supervision and regulation of banking and other financial services; — the exchange of information in particular in respect of proposed legislation; — the preparation of translations and terminology glossaries. 2.   The Parties shall cooperate with the aim of developing efficient audit systems in Croatia following the harmonised Community methods and procedures. Cooperation shall focus on: — technical assistance to the State Auditing Office in Croatia; — the establishment of internal audit units in official agencies; — the exchange of information with regard to auditing systems; — the standardisation of audit documentation; — training and advisory operations.

Investment promotion and protection

Article 85

1.   Cooperation between the Parties shall be aimed at establishing a favourable climate for private investment, both domestic and foreign. 2.   The particular aims of cooperation shall be: — for Croatia to improve a legal framework which favours and protects investment; — the conclusion, where appropriate, with Member States of bilateral agreements for the promotion and protection of investment; — the improvement of investment protection.

Industrial cooperation

Article 86

1.   Cooperation shall be aimed at promoting the modernisation and restructuring of the Croatian industry and individual sectors, as well as industrial cooperation between economic operators of both sides, with the particular objective of strengthening the private sector under conditions that ensure that the environment is protected. 2.   Industrial cooperation initiatives will reflect the priorities determined by both Parties. They will take into account the regional aspects of industrial development, promoting transnational partnerships when relevant. The initiatives should seek in particular to establish a suitable framework for undertakings, to improve management, know-how and to promote markets, market transparency and the business environment. Special attention shall be devoted to the establishment of efficient export promotion activities in Croatia.

Small and medium-sized enterprises

Article 87

The Parties shall aim to develop and strengthen private sector small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the establishment of new undertakings in areas offering potential for growth and the cooperation between SMEs in the Community and in Croatia.

Tourism

Article 88

1.   Cooperation between the Parties in the field of tourism will be aimed at facilitating and encouraging tourism and tourist trade through transfer of know-how, participation of Croatia in important European tourism organisations and studying the opportunities for joint operations. 2.   Cooperation shall include the following in particular: — exchanging information on major issues of mutual interest affecting the tourism sector and transferring of know-how; — encouraging the development of infrastructure conducive to investment in the tourism sector; — examining regional tourist projects.

Customs

Article 89

1.   The Parties shall cooperate to guarantee compliance with all the provisions scheduled for adoption in the area of trade and to achieve the approximation of the customs system of Croatia to that of the Community, thus helping to pave the way for liberalisation measures planned under this Agreement. 2.   Cooperation shall include the following in particular: — the possibility of interconnection between the transit systems of the Community and Croatia, as well as the use of the Single Administrative Document (SAD); — the improvement and simplification of inspections and formalities in respect of the carriage of goods; — the development of cross-border infrastructure between the Parties; — the development of customs cooperation support for introduction of modern customs information systems; — the exchange of information including on the methods of investigation; — the adoption by Croatia of the Combined Nomenclature; — training of customs officers. 3.   Without prejudice to further cooperation provided for in this Agreement, and in particular Articles 77, 78 and 80, mutual assistance between administrative authorities in customs matters of the Parties shall take place in accordance with the provisions of Protocol 5.

Taxation

Article 90

The Parties will establish cooperation in the field of taxation including measures aiming at the further reform of the fiscal system and the restructuring of tax administration with a view to ensuring effectiveness of tax collection and the fight against fiscal fraud.

Social cooperation

Article 91

1.   With regard to employment, cooperation between the Parties shall focus notably on upgrading job-finding and careers advice services, providing back-up measures and promoting local development to assist industrial and labour market restructuring. It shall also include measures such as studies, the secondment of experts and information and training operations. 2.   With regard to social security, cooperation between the Parties shall seek to adapt the social security system of Croatia to the new economic and social requirements, notably by providing the services of experts and organising information and training activities. 3.   Cooperation between the Parties will involve the adjustment of the Croatian legislation concerning working conditions and equal opportunities for women and men. 4.   The Parties shall develop cooperation between them with the aim of improving the level of protection of the health and safety of workers, taking as a reference the level of protection existing in the Community.

Agriculture, and the agro-industrial sector

Article 92

Cooperation in this field shall have as its aim the modernisation and restructuring of agriculture and the agro-industrial sector consistent with the Community rules and standards, the water management, the rural development, the gradual harmonisation of the veterinary and phytosanitary legislation with Community standards and the development of the forestry sector in Croatia.

Fisheries

Article 93

The Community and Croatia shall explore the possibility of identifying areas of common interest in the fisheries sector, which by their nature would have to be mutually beneficial.

Education and training

Article 94

1.   The Parties shall cooperate with the aim of raising the level of general education and professional qualifications in Croatia. 2.   The Tempus programme will contribute to strengthening cooperation between the Parties in the field of education and training, promoting democracy, the rule of law and economic reform. 3.   The European Training Foundation will also contribute to the upgrading of training structures and activities in Croatia.

Cultural cooperation

Article 95

The Parties undertake to promote cultural cooperation. This cooperation serves inter alia to raise mutual understanding and esteem between individuals, communities and peoples.

Information and communication

Article 96

The Community and Croatia will take the measures necessary to stimulate the mutual exchange of information. Priority will be given to programmes aimed at providing the general public with basic information about the Community and professional circles in Croatia with more specialised information.

Cooperation in the audio-visual field

Article 97

1.   The Parties shall cooperate to promote the audio-visual industry in Europe and encourage co-production in the fields of cinema and television. 2.   Croatia will align its policies on the regulation of content aspects of cross-border broadcasting, paying particular attention to matters relating to the acquisition of intellectual property rights for programmes and broadcast by satellite or cable, with those of the Community, and will harmonise its legislation with the Community acquis.

Electronic Communications Infrastructure and Associated Services

Article 98

1.   The Parties will strengthen cooperation in the area of electronic communications infrastructures, including classical telecommunications networks and relevant electronic audio-visual transport networks, and associated services, with the objective of ultimate alignment with the Community acquis by Croatia as from the entry into force of the Agreement. 2.   The abovementioned cooperation will focus on the following priority areas: — policy development; — legal and regulatory aspects; — institution building required for a liberalised environment; — modernisation of Croatia's electronic infrastructure and its integration into European and world networks, with a focus on improvements at a regional level; — international cooperation; — cooperation within European structures especially those involved in standardisation; — coordinating positions in international organisations and fora.

Information Society

Article 99

The Parties will strengthen cooperation with the objective of further developing the Information Society in Croatia. Global objectives will be preparing society as a whole for the digital age, attracting investments and interoperability of networks and services. The Croatian authorities, with the assistance of the Community, will review carefully any political commitment undertaken in the European Union with the objective of aligning its own policies on those of the Union. The Croatian authorities will establish a plan for the adoption of Community legislation in the area of the Information Society.

Transport

Article 100

1.   In addition to the provisions of Article 58 and Protocol 6 of this Agreement, the Parties shall develop and step up cooperation in the field of transport in order to enable Croatia to: — restructure and modernise transport and related infrastructure; — improve movement of passengers and goods and access to the transport market, by the removing of administrative, technical and other barriers; — achieve operating standards comparable to those in the Community; — develop a transport system compatible and aligned on the Community system; — improve the protection of environment in transport, reduction of harmful effects and pollution. 2.   Cooperation shall include the following priority areas: — the development of road, rail, airport, inland waterways and port infrastructure and other major routes of common interest and Trans-European and Pan-European links; — the management of railways and airports, including appropriate cooperation between the relevant national authorities; — road transport, including road taxes and charges and social and environmental aspects; — combined rail and road transport; — the harmonisation of international transport statistics; — the modernisation of technical transport equipment in line with Community standards, and assistance in acquiring financing to that end, particularly as regards road-rail transport, multimodal transport and transhipment; — the promotion of joint technological and research programmes; — the adoption of coordinated transport policies that are compatible with those applied in the Community.