The EC announced on Monday that it would release a report on the meeting of benchmarks in the policy area Judiciary and Fundamental Rights on 11 March 2011 and that will be the moment of truth. From now until the end of February or early March, the ball is in Croatia's court, to meet the necessary criteria, a diplomatic source said on condition of anonymity.

According to information from the source, the Hungarian EU Presidency will organise the last intergovernmental accession conference on June 21, when Croatia should complete its accession talks, if it meets the necessary criteria.

At the next accession conference, scheduled for December 22, Croatia could close three chapters - "Justice, Freedom and Security", "Environment" and "Foreign, Security and Defence Policy". The chapter that could be closed next, early next year, is "Fisheries".

Croatia has met the closing benchmarks for the "Fisheries" chapter, but the EU still has to define a response to Croatia's request for exemption regarding the right to use traditional fishing tools and to Slovenia's request regarding traditional fishermen's rights.

The EU believes that Slovenia's request is a bilateral issue that should be settled in direct talks with Croatia.

Alexandra Cas Granje, director for accession candidates at the European Commission's Directorate General for Enlargement, said on Monday that Croatia and Slovenia must find a better way to settle outstanding bilateral issues than blocking negotiating areas.

The European Commission believes that two of the three chapters with financial implications - "Agriculture and Rural Development" and "Regional Policy and the Co-ordination of Structural Instruments" could be closed in the first quarter of next year, while the third such chapter, "Finance and Budgetary Provisions", would be closed slightly later, probably at the very end of the talks.

In that case, four chapters would remain to be closed at the last accession conference - Competition Policy; Judiciary and Fundamental Rights; Finance and Budgetary Provisions; and Other Issues, the chapter that is not negotiated and is always closed at the end of the talks.

For this scenario to become true, Croatia must do its share of work, primarily regarding the policy areas Judiciary and Fundamental Rights and Competition Policy, the source said.

By using Croatia as an example, the EU wants to send a message to Croatia's neighbouring countries that accession is possible when conditions for it are met. On the other hand, there is a wish to send a message to citizens in EU member countries, who often look on further enlargement with disinclination, that quality enlargement is possible, which is why it is insisted that Croatia be 100 percent ready for EU membership.