EU Entry Requires More Work From Balkan States

Romania and Bulgaria must meet demands for outstanding reforms in problem areas if they are to stay on track to join the European Union next year, the European commission said today.

The two countries' progress will be evaluated again in early October, the commission president, José Manuel Barroso, said.

"The possibility of being ready in 2007 is do-able, but it is for the two countries to deliver. At the same time, the European Union needs to deliver a clear signal that it stands ready to honour its commitments," Mr Barroso said. "Our approach is based on strict conditionality."

Bulgaria, the less prepared of the two countries, must show clear results in investigating and prosecuting organised crime networks; implement laws for fighting fraud and corruption; do more to prevent money laundering; prevent embezzlement of EU aid; and complete agriculture reforms, the commission said in a progress report.

Romania must finish setting up agencies for disbursing EU aid to farmers; raise veterinary standards for livestock and other agricultural reforms; and make its electronic tax administration system interoperable with the EU to allow proper collection of VAT, the report said.

"It is our goal to welcome Bulgaria and Romania as members in 2007 - but it is our duty to ensure that, once they join, they really meet the conditions," said the EU enlargement commissioner, Olli Rehn.

He said that if problems persisted, the commission might propose withholding EU aid to the countries even after they joined. The EU could also impose "safeguard clauses", or monitoring mechanisms to ensure conditions are met before the countries gain the full benefits of EU membership. The clauses would curtail the countries' participation in EU decisions on areas such as justice, home affairs and food safety.

The Romania prime minister, Calin Popescu Tariceanu, welcomed the commission's report, saying it sent two messages: "Joining the EU in 2007 is completely do-able, and that Romania has made progress in the last seven months and has to continue in the same rhythm and same direction."

Bulgaria's foreign minister, Ivailo Kalfin, called the reports balanced and said that the commission's recommendations could be implemented.

According to Transparency International, Bulgaria and Romania are among the most corrupt countries in Europe, and they are much poorer than the rest of the 25-nation bloc.

The countries' accession date could also be postponed for a year until January 1 2008, but that was unlikely as it would require unanimous agreement by all 25 EU governments in the case of Bulgaria, and majority agreement for Romania, according to their accession treaties. Most of the 10 new member states that joined the EU in 2004 have backed the 2007 entry date for both countries.

One hurdle remains for both Romania and Bulgaria - the ratification of their EU membership by the parliaments of all 25 member states. Germany, France and others have still not ratified the Balkan countries' accession.

Mr Barroso called on the member states' parliaments to ratify the accession. EU enlargement will be on the agenda of a June EU summit in Brussels, and the final decision is likely to be made by member states at an autumn summit.

Western European critics of the EU's expansion say the bloc has not fully dealt with the adhesion of 10 mostly ex-communist countries in 2004 and fear that the entry of more nations will hasten the erosion of cherished social welfare benefits.