Europees Parlement wil toetreding Roemenië stoppen vanwege slechte mensenrechtensituatie (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The Parliamentarian tasked with monitoring Romania's accession to the EU has told the EUobserver that membership negotiations should be suspended.

MEP Emma Nicholson told this new site on Tuesday (3 February) that she backs a proposal to suspend negotiations with the country until improvements are made in the judicial system.

Baroness Nicholson said that the country needs more time to thoroughly reform and improve its judicial system, which is still weak and open to corruption, and should not hurry to close negotiations this year, as planned.

A report by Mrs Nicholson, which should be voted in the European Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee this month, is likely to recommend that the European Commission suspend membership negotiations with the country.

For the moment, the Commission refuses to comment on that issue and only says that the subject is not on the agenda now.

Pressure on Romania

Two weeks ago, Dutch MEP Arie Oostlander called for the suspension of pre-accession talks with Romania until it improves its human rights record and tackles widespread corruption.

Mrs Nicholson proposes a suspension of the negotiations in their current form and their delay until the country is really able to join the EU.

She explained that the procedure would be beneficial for Romania as the country will get more EU money - the European pre-accession funds will continue until accession. Romania could also benefit from more EU attention and better monitoring.

Mrs Nicholson demands a better monitoring of the actual implementation of the acquis communautaire - the body of EU law - in the field of administration reform and judiciary. These two have been Romanian's weak points since the beginning of the talks with the EU.

The MEP seemed confident that the Commission will respond to her recommendation positively but added that the Romanian government will probably not agree with it.

The negotiations with Romania are due to end this year in order for the country to join the EU in 2007, together with Bulgaria.

Romanian lobby

A group of Romanian MPs from government and opposition political parties met Emma Nicholson Tuesday but they were unable to change her position.

They refused to accept the idea that Romanian accession could be delayed.