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Things are looking pretty good for Romani's entry in the EU next year, but Bulgaria looks more challenged.
From the BBC:
Considering that we have considerably raised the bar for Turkey (and for Croatia along the way), it seems normal that we aren't too lax even with "old" members-to-be. However, I must say I'm surprised that Bulgaria is now trailing behind Romania. It wasn't long ago that Bulgaria looked much more promising. Does anybody here know what happened for such a change of pace to occur?
From the BBC:
Balkan hopefuls get EU conditions
By Oana Lungescu
BBC correspondent in Brussels
Romania and Bulgaria are set to join the European Union in 2007 as planned, but with tougher conditions than any other member states.
A draft European Commission report, seen by the BBC, sets 10 targets that both countries need to meet first.
It says Romania has made considerable progress, but Bulgaria still has to take urgent measures to crack down on corruption and organised crime.
The report, due out in full on Tuesday, leaves the accession date open.
The European Commission will issue a final report in the autumn, and EU leaders could confirm the date at a summit in Finland in October.
The report says Romania's investigations against dozens of senior politicians, judges and public officials are conducted at a speed comparable with that in any EU member state, and high-level figures have been indicted.
Romania still has four areas of serious concern to tackle, but they are mainly technical, such as setting up a computer system to collect sales tax.
EU scrutiny
Bulgaria, however, is warned on six much more sensitive areas, including tackling money-laundering, organised crime and corruption.
The draft report calls for tangible results in investigating and prosecuting organised crime networks in Bulgaria and more efficient and systematic implementation of laws to combat fraud and corruption.
A senior EU official told the BBC that billions of euros in EU aid could be withheld unless both countries set up the payment agencies for farm subsidies, and that some food exports would be banned unless more was done to fight animal diseases such as swine fever.
To keep up the pressure for reforms, it is expected that both countries will be given five more months to deal with the outstanding problems.
The report makes clear that, if the judicial reforms and the fight against corruption do not yield sufficient results, a special monitoring mechanism could be set up for three years, even after Romania and Bulgaria join the EU. Such tight monitoring for new EU member states would be unprecedented.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/h...pe/4766417.stm
By Oana Lungescu
BBC correspondent in Brussels
Romania and Bulgaria are set to join the European Union in 2007 as planned, but with tougher conditions than any other member states.
A draft European Commission report, seen by the BBC, sets 10 targets that both countries need to meet first.
It says Romania has made considerable progress, but Bulgaria still has to take urgent measures to crack down on corruption and organised crime.
The report, due out in full on Tuesday, leaves the accession date open.
The European Commission will issue a final report in the autumn, and EU leaders could confirm the date at a summit in Finland in October.
The report says Romania's investigations against dozens of senior politicians, judges and public officials are conducted at a speed comparable with that in any EU member state, and high-level figures have been indicted.
Romania still has four areas of serious concern to tackle, but they are mainly technical, such as setting up a computer system to collect sales tax.
EU scrutiny
Bulgaria, however, is warned on six much more sensitive areas, including tackling money-laundering, organised crime and corruption.
The draft report calls for tangible results in investigating and prosecuting organised crime networks in Bulgaria and more efficient and systematic implementation of laws to combat fraud and corruption.
A senior EU official told the BBC that billions of euros in EU aid could be withheld unless both countries set up the payment agencies for farm subsidies, and that some food exports would be banned unless more was done to fight animal diseases such as swine fever.
To keep up the pressure for reforms, it is expected that both countries will be given five more months to deal with the outstanding problems.
The report makes clear that, if the judicial reforms and the fight against corruption do not yield sufficient results, a special monitoring mechanism could be set up for three years, even after Romania and Bulgaria join the EU. Such tight monitoring for new EU member states would be unprecedented.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/h...pe/4766417.stm
Considering that we have considerably raised the bar for Turkey (and for Croatia along the way), it seems normal that we aren't too lax even with "old" members-to-be. However, I must say I'm surprised that Bulgaria is now trailing behind Romania. It wasn't long ago that Bulgaria looked much more promising. Does anybody here know what happened for such a change of pace to occur?
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