[autom.vertaling] Bulgarije en Roemenië dat wordt aangespoord om aan de criteria van de EU te voldoen (en)
The European Commission on Wednesday adopted roadmaps for Bulgaria and Romania, which they would have to adhere to in order to satisfy the necessary criteria before the 2007 EU membership. The Commission also proposed to increase considerably the financial assistance to these two countries, which would be linked to progress in implementing the roadmaps.
The Commission proposed that assistance for Bulgaria and Romania should increase progressively in the following years prior to accession. In 2004 it will be increased by 20 per cent, 30 per cent in 2005 and reaching the level of an additional 40 per cent in 2006.
This means that Bulgaria will be receiving 368 million euro in 2004, 399 million euro in 2005 and 430 million euro in 2006 for the pre-accession funds. Romania, on the other hand, will be receiving considerably more. In 2004, it will be receiving 860 million euro, in 2005 931 million euro and in 2006 1,002 million euro.
The aim is to support these two candidates in taking the remaining steps necessary to meet criteria for membership. The distribution between the three pre-accession instruments - Phare, ISPA and SAPARD, will be determined by the specific needs and absorption capacities of each of the countries.
Improving capacity to manage funds effectively
In order to benefit from these funds, however, the Commission urged them to improve significantly their capacity to manage and use these funds effectively. By end 2004, the Commission expects them to implement an extended decentralisation system for the pre-accession funds Phare and ISPA. "If preparations are continued and intensified they should be ready to receive and use additional funds effectively from 2004 onwards," the Commission said.
These funds, however, do not allow for additional assistance to Bulgaria for the closure of the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant between 2004 and 2006, where the Commission is demanding the definitive closure of Unit 1 and 2 by the end of this year, and the closure of Unit 3 and 4 in the medium term.
These roadmaps identify key issues that will need to be tackled in the chapters where negotiations are still under way. So far Bulgaria has closed 22 chapters out of 30 whilst Romania has only closed 13.