[autom.vertaling] Roemenië: verdere hervormingen een preconditie voor toetreding in 2007 (en)

The Foreign Affairs Committee warned Romania on Wednesday that "immediate steps" are needed to deal with widespread corruption, discrimination against minorities and other issues if the country is to be ready to join the EU on 1 January 2007.

In a report on Romania's readiness for EU accession, drafted by Pierre Moscovici (PES, FR), MEPs noted that " significant improvements " had been made in Romania's preparations for accession. However, they pointed out that progress had not been satisfactory in several areas. Citing " persistent delays " in the fight against corruption and the implementation of legislation on agriculture, public contracts and the environment, the committee called on Romania to take " immediate steps to make good these shortcomings " in order to join the Union on 1 January 2007. MEPs support Romania's efforts to accede on that date. " Our task ", noted Joost Lagendijk (Greens/EFA, NL), " is to be critical and consistent in order to get things done."

Committee members adopted three key compromise amendments. These included provisions on the fight against corruption, especially at the highest level, minorities' issues in general and the Hungarian minority problem in particular.

Determined efforts must be made to combat corruption, at every level of the judiciary, law-enforcement services and the public administration. This is " one of the highest priorities ", the Foreign Affairs Committee concluded.

MEPs also complained about discriminatory measures still contained in Romanian electoral laws and repeated in a draft law on minorities, and called for legislation on minorities to be adopted as soon as possible, in line with the Copenhagen criteria. " Additional measures need to be taken to ensure the protection of the Hungarian minority in accordance with the principles of subsidiarity and self-governance ", said MEPs, calling on the Romanian authorities to fully sustain higher education for the Hungarian minority by providing the necessary financial resources.

The document reiterates the priorities pointed out by the European Commission, which stresses that Romania must continue the course and pace of reforms. Committee members support the Commission's plan to reach a decision on whether or not to postpone the date of accession on the basis of the results obtained by Romania by the spring of 2006.

The report was adopted with 55 votes in favour, two against and five abstentions. It will be submitted for a vote in plenary in December.

22/11/2005

Committee on Foreign Affairs

chair : Elmar Brok (EPP-ED, DE)

Procedure: Own-initiative

Vote in plenary: December, Strasbourg