THE EUROPEAN UNION (EU) REPRESENTS A POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL ASSOCIATION OF EUROPEAN COUNTRIES CREATED AS A FUSION OF MEMBERS WITH SIMILAR POLITICAL AND MONETARY INTERESTS. WITH THE END OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR, AND WITH THE AIM OF ESTABLISHING STABILITY AND COOPERATION, AND AVOIDING CONFLICTS ON EVERY LEVEL, THE PROCESS OF ASSOCIATION TOOK ON INITIAL CHARACTERISTICS. WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF IMPORTANT INSTITUTIONS, SUCH AS THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, AND THE EUROPEAN COURT OF JUSTICE, THE PROCESS CONTINUED FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE UNITED STATES. COMMON TOPICS TO BE WORKED ON WERE FOREIGN POLICY, TRANSPORT, AGRICULTURE, INTERNAL MARKET, SECURITY POLICY, RESEARCH, DEFENSE POLICY, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, JUSTICE, EDUCATION, HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTION, ETC. THE AIM OF THE PAPER IS TO ANALYZE THE STEPS OF CROATIA'S ACCESSION TO THE EUROPEAN UNION, AS WELL AS TO PRESENT THE EFFECTS OF ACCESSION, BUT ALSO TO ASSUME CROATIA'S PERSPECTIVE IN THE COMING PERIOD, STARTING WITH TRANSPARENT IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ECONOMY ITSELF, THE LIVING STANDARDS OF THE POPULATION AND EXPECTATIONS FROM THIS GREAT ASSOCIATION.