Croatia has been told that early next year it can begin negotiations to join the European Union.
EU leaders, meeting for a summit in Brussels said that the country had met the political criteria to become an EU member and recommended that negotiations start in January next year.
Commission President Romano Prodi told journalists that the decision was a historic one and that it sent a message to the countries of the region that "the door is open".
Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader welcomed the decision and said that he hoped his country would be able to complete negotiations by 2007.
The Commission is expected to present the framework for talks before its mandate ends in October.
By: N. Peter Kramer
