[autom.vertaling] Roemenië en Bulgarije hebben geen welomlijnde ingangsdatum (en)
The annual enlargement report supports the efforts of Bulgaria and Romania to join the EU in 2007, provided they keep up the pace of reforms but does not specify this date is a definite one.
Günter Verheugen explained to the MEPs during the debate in the parliament following the release of the report that the target date has been set by Bucharest and Sofia and not by the Commission. This could leave room for different interpretations.
First, the Commission already last week was reluctant to give a clear date on accession for the two countries as 2007 is yet too far.
Secondly, Bulgaria has asked for a different treatment and a different accession date from Romania. The Commission assessment could give Bulgaria the possibility of accessing evwn earlier should the country fulfil all accession criteria.
Thirdly, given the uncertain ratification of the Nice Treaty, due for a second referendum in Ireland, and given the fact that the current European Commission will step out in 2005, the Brussels executive may not have wished to take any risk for an enlargement due to happen during the next European mandate.
Officially, Romania has a different interpretation of the text. The Romanian Minister of European Integration Hildegaard Puwak told the Euobserver that the 2007 is now a date assumed by the Commission as well. The Minister added that this is the first time when Brussels recognises that Romania could actually join from that date on.
Differences between the two countries
Bulgaria is a functioning market economy and it can compete with the pressure and mechanisms of the internal market in the medium term, the report states, while Romania only made good progress toward this achievement.
Also, the country report on Bulgaria has a much more positive language than in the previous year as very good progress have been made on fighting the corruption and on the field of judiciary.
In spite of Romanian efforts, corruption remains subject to serious concern and the independence of the judiciary has not yet become a reality. The Romanian country report uses the same critical language as last year.
Romania still struggles with huge social reforms and has only closed 13 chapters of negotiation, while Bulgaria concluded talks on 22 chapters.
Romania remains nevertheless optimistic. Minister Puwak considers the report as a positive one, as the text contains plenty of encouragement.