Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the EU and Croatia

TITLE I
GENERAL PRINCIPLES
Article 2
Respect for the democratic principles and human rights as proclaimed in the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights and as defined in the Helsinki Final Act and the Charter of Paris
for a New Europe, respect for international law principles and the rule of law as well as the
principles of market economy as reflected in the Document of the CSCE Bonn Conference on
Economic Cooperation, shall form the basis of the domestic and external policies of the
Parties and constitute essential elements of this Agreement.
Article 3
International and regional peace and stability and the development of good neighbourly
relations are central to the Stabilisation and Association Process referred to in the conclusions
of the Council of the European Union on 21 June 1999. The conclusion and the
implementation of this Agreement come within the framework of the conclusions of the
Council of the European Union of 29 April 1997, and are based on the individual merits of
Croatia.
Article 4
Croatia commits itself to continue and foster co-operation and good neighbourly relations
with the other countries of the region including an appropriate level of mutual concessions
concerning the movement of persons, goods, capital and services as well as the development
of projects of common interest, notably those related to refugee return and combating
organised crime, corruption, money laundering, illegal migration and trafficking. This
commitment constitutes a key factor in the development of the relations and co-operation
between the Parties and thus contributes to regional stability.
Article 5
1. The Association shall be implemented progressively and shall be fully realised at the
latest within six years after the entry into force of this Agreement.
2. The Stabilisation and Association Council established under Article 110 shall
regularly review the application of this Agreement and the accomplishment by
Croatia of legal, administrative, institutional and economic reforms in the light of the
preamble and in accordance with the general principles laid down in this Agreement.
Article 6
The Agreement shall be fully compatible with the relevant WTO provisions, in particular
Article XXIV of the GATT 1994 and Article V of the GATS.
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