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Parliamentary question - E-001438/2018Parliamentary question
E-001438/2018

The border dispute between Slovenia and Croatia and its effects on the enlargement process to the western Balkans

Question for written answer E-001438-18
to the Commission
Rule 130
Dominique Bilde (ENF)

In June 2017, the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague issued a ruling on a dispute between Croatia and Slovenia. This decision granted Slovenia control of over 80% of the Gulf of Piran. Croatia is calling for application of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which grants it control of around 50% of the Gulf.

Slovenia wishes to invoke Article 259 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which allows it to bring the dispute before the Commission and even before the Court of Justice of the European Union. Furthermore, Slovenia may institute proceedings on the grounds of the common fisheries policy.

1. Has Slovenia's grievance been filed in accordance with Article 259 TFEU, and how does the Commission intend to resolve this dispute?

2. On 17 February 2018, Jean-Claude Juncker confirmed that the accession of the western Balkans to the European Union presupposes the prior resolution of all territorial disputes. In view of this multitude of disputes, particularly Serbia’s non-acknowledgement of Kosovo, does the Commission consider the accession process to be realistic?

Last updated: 23 March 2018
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