Strengthening EU integration capacity of VRU

USAID "RADA: Next Generation" Program, in collaboration with partners from the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, hosted an online seminar titled "EU Integration: Orientation towards Accession and Parliamentary Mandates" on February 22. The workshop aimed to showcase Croatia's experience with European integration and the parliament's role in the process.

Approximately 50 participants attended the workshop, including VRU Secretariat and Research Service staffers, MPs' assistants, and experts.

Tatiana Tomic, former secretary of the National Committee of the Croatian Parliament for Monitoring the EU Accession Negotiations, shared insights from Croatia's European integration journey. She emphasized that the success of European integration depends on:

• Political consensus;
• Effective coordination between parliament and government;
• Planning for legislative harmonization;
• Adaptation of parliamentary regulations and internal organization;
• Strengthening administrative capacity and staff training within the Secretariat;
• Mechanisms for cooperation with stakeholders, including EU counterparts.

USAID "RADA: Next Generation" systematically supports enhancing VRU's European integration capacities. It fosters partnerships with European parliaments, facilitates study visits, and conducts training sessions on aligning national legislation with EU laws.