European Union (Croatian Accession and Irish Protocol) Bill [Bill 76 of 2012-13]

Croatia is expected to join the EU in July 2013. Before that can happen, all existing EU Member States must ratify Croatia’s accession treaty. This Bill would allow the UK to do so (there will not be a referendum) and to restrict the right of Croatians to work in the UK after accession. The fundamental questions are whether Croatia is ready to join the EU, and what impact its accession would have on the UK.

The Bill would also cover the Protocol to the Lisbon Treaty put forward by the Irish Government (giving guarantees over its concerns about the right to life, family and education, taxation and military neutrality) although this is not part of the accession treaty.