Accession of Romania to the European Union
The Accession of Romania to the European Union is currently scheduled to take place on January 1, 2007. This date was set at the Thessaloniki Summit in 2003 and confirmed in Brussels on June 18, 2004. The country reports of October 2004 also affirmed the January 1, 2007 date of accession for both Bulgaria and Romania. The Treaty of Accession was signed on April 25, 2005 at Luxembourg's Neumuenster Abbey. The 26 September 2006 monitoring report of the European Commission confirmed the entry date as 1 January 2007.
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History
Since the Romanian Revolution in 1989, European Union membership has been the main goal of every Romanian Government and practically every political party. Romania signed its Europe Agreement in 1993[1] and submitted its official application for membership in the EU in 1995, the third country to do so after Hungary and Poland. Along with its official EU application, Romania submitted the “Snagov Declaration”, signed by all fourteen major political parties declaring their full support for EU membership.[2]
During the 2000s, Romania implemented a number of reforms in order to prepare for EU accession, including the consolidation of its democratic systems, rule of law, respect for human rights, freedom of expression and functioning free-market economy.
Short history of EU integration
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Romania was the first country of Central and Eastern Europe to have official relations with the European Community. In 1974, an agreement included Romania in the Community's Generalized System of Preferences.
1974 - Romania’s inclusion in the Community's Generalized System of Preferences,
The most important events which mark the clear decision of Romania to integrate into the Euro-Atlantic structures as a strategic option, constantly manifested after 1990, have been:
- 1993 - Romania was granted membership in the Council of Europe.
- Signed an association agreement with the European Union (EU) and a free trade agreement with the European Free Trade Association. (EFTA)
- Romania received the Most Favored Nation (MFN) status in its trade with United States.
- 1994 - Associate member of the European Union.
- 1997 - A member of CEFTA (Central European Free Trade Agreement).
- 1999 - Elected chairman of OSCE for 2001.
- Was officially invited to membership talks (starting with February 2000), at the EU Summit in Helsinki.
- 2000 - Officially started accession negotiations with European Union. (February, 15)
- 2002 - The Heads of State and Government of the NATO member states adopted at the NATO Summit in Prague, 21-22 November 2002, the decision to invite Romania to start NATO accession talks. Bulgaria, Slovenia, Slovakia, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia were also invited to join NATO.
- The Copenhagen European Council in December confirmed the support of the Council for the achievement of the objective of Romania's accession to the EU in 2007, the European Union taking the engagement to maintain the negotiation pace with Romania
- 2003 - The European Council in December states that Welcoming Bulgaria and Romania in January 2007, if they are ready, is the common objective of the Union of 25.
- 2004 March 29 - Romania officially became a NATO member, together with some other six states in Central and Eastern Europe.
- December – closure of the accession negotiations.
- 2005 April 25 – signing of the Accession Treaty in Luxembourg, Romania and Bulgaria signed the Treaty of Accession to European Union. The final act states that: Romania and Bulgaria will join EU in 1 January 2007.
- 2006 16 May - an EU report to the European Parliament on the entry of Romania and Bulgaria states said that it was still possible for Romania to enter on schedule but listed areas in which progress had to be made to meet the target date. For Romania was in the areas of food safety and setting up agencies to pay EU farm aids. (ref)
- 2006 26 September - The final monitoring report on Romania by the European Commission recommends accession on January 1, 2007. A final vote in the European Council will finalise things in October and is not expected to form a hurdle.
According to the last Commission Regular Report 2004, Romania continues to fulfill the political criteria and it has further consolidated and deepened the stability of its institutions. However, the effectiveness of governmental and judiciary reforms is dependent on Romania's ability to effectively implement the changes.
The December 2004 European Summit's conclusions support Romania's accession in 2007. The European Council also asserted that Romania will have met all of the requirements of membership by the planned date of accession, provided that it continues its efforts to that end and completes all necessary reforms and commitments undertaken, in particular important commitments regarding Justice, 'Competition' and Environment.
The Treaty of Accession was subsequently signed in Luxembourg on 25 April 2005.
Public opinion
Public opinion polls in Romania indicates that 70% of the population are in favor of accession to the European Union. However, the EU's population has a less positive view of Romania's accession, with an approval rate of only 45% (Eurobarometer poll).
Romania's status in the EU
Upon accession, Romania will be the seventh-largest nation in the EU in terms of population. The country will have 35 seats in the European Parliament, but their number is expected to decrease when the number of seats assigned to each country is reassessed, according to the Treaty of Nice.
Effect on the future direction of the EU
Romania's strategic geopolitical location will influence the EU's policy towards its relations with all of Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Turkey, and Asia. In the Southeast European Cooperative Initiative (SECI), Romania has an opportunity to demonstrate its leadership in the region.
The objective of joining the EU has also influenced Romania's regional relations. As a result, Romania has imposed visa regimes on a number of states, including Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Serbia, Montenegro and Turkey.
Officials consider Romania to be both a part of Central Europe and a part of SEE. This reflects the Romanian government's dual ambitions today of strengthening Romania's chances of Euro-Atlantic integration while also being seen as a leader and a zone of stability and democracy in its immediate neighborhood.
References
- ^ Chronology of the Fifth EU Enlargement, Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom
- ^ Melanie H. Ram, Ph.D., Sub-regional Cooperation and European Integration: Romania’s Delicate Balance
See also
External links
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania
- Government of Romania
- Ministry of European Integration
- Infoeuropa Centre
Austria • Belgium • Cyprus • Czech Republic • Denmark • Estonia • Finland • France • Germany • Greece • Hungary • Ireland • Italy • Latvia • Lithuania • Luxembourg • Malta • Netherlands • Poland • Portugal • Slovakia • Slovenia • Spain • Sweden • United Kingdom
Countries acceding on January 1, 2007: Bulgaria • Romania
Candidate countries: Croatia • Turkey • Republic of Macedonia (referred to as the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia by the European Union)
Categories
Enlargement of the European Union | Foreign relations of Romania