EC/Slovenia Europe agreement

The rapporteur, Mrs Iivari (PSE, FIN), outlined the complicated negotiations that had lasted from 15 March 1995 until the signing of the agreement on 10 June. Under the terms of the compromise that had been reached, Slovenia undertook to guarantee all EU citizens the right to acquire property from the fourth year following the date on which the agreement entered into force. Moreover, EU citizens who had been resident in the territory of Slovenia for at least three years (as was the case with a number of Italian citizens) were to have the right to acquire property recognised from the date of entry into force of the agreement. The rapporteur also pointed out that the Slovenian situation was encouraging from a general point of view in that the country was to be one of the prime candidates for accession. Commissioner van den Broek called on the Member States to ratify the agreement with Slovenia as quickly as possible. Slovenia, for its part, would be amending its constitutional law in respect of property acquisition and putting the finishing touches to its economic reforms.