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Cards project

EU-negotiation techniques - Croatia

 Project title: “EU Negotiations and Negotiation Techniques”

 Country: Croatia

 Recipient authority: Ministry for European Integration in Zagreb

 Project description:

The overall objective was to and to assists Croatia in its further integration into European structures.

The immediate objectives were to improve the capacity for preparation of negotiation positions for members of the Croatian task force and to increase the negotiation skills of the key group of negotiators. The Croatian authorities have in particular requested assistance for their negotiation task force in respect of strengthening its negotiation capability including an enhancement of its ability to prepare national positions for negotiations.

The activities took place in Zagreb from June to September 2002 and were dedicated to Croatian civil servants from line ministries and parliament, with representatives from the industry, employers and employees organizations.

The training were implemented in 2 parts.

First part included a simulation of an EU negotiation among 10 countries on a proposal from the European Commission for a Council Directive establishing transitional arrangements for Croatia, Hungary, Poland and Slovenia.

The second parts was dedicated to EU decision-making, in particular the advantages of central government institutions of involving non-public organizations in the preparation of bringing national legislation in line with the acquis.

The EU decision-making was illustrated in regime of the Council (from Commission’s proposal, to Council Working Groups, to COREPER and to the Council of Ministers). Furthermore, practical examples were presented in selected Member States (Denmark, Finland, Germany and France), including the role and power of national the co-ordinating body, the permanent mission in Brussels and related organizational requirement in line-ministries

The techniques were practised by simulations of negotiations in a national EU special committee trying to establish a national mandate for the Croatian delegation before they should go to Brussels to defend their position.