Zemlja se sad treba 1. jula 2013. pridružiti bloku kao njegova 28. članica, pod uslovom da Hrvati odobre taj potez na referendumu po tom pitanju zakazanom za 22. januar, a da zatim zemlje EU ratificiraju taj ugovor.
The country is now set to join the bloc as its 28th member on July 1st 2013, provided Croats approve that move in a referendum on the issue scheduled for January 22nd, and EU nations then ratify the treaty.