Bulgaria, Romania to join EU in '07 with conditions

STRASBOURG, France, Sep 26 (Reuters) Bulgaria and Romania received the green light today to join the European Union in January, rather than a year later, but under the toughest terms imposed on any new entrants.

In a recommendation on what could be the EU's last expansion for years, the European Commission listed reforms the Balkan duo must complete to avoid being deprived of full membership benefits early on, including some of their huge EU aid.

''Accession of Bulgaria and Romania will mark a historic achievement, the completion of the fifth enlargement of the EU, which further pursues the reunification of our European family'' European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso told the European Parliament.

EU leaders are to approve the recommendation in October.

France, Germany, Denmark and Belgium are yet to ratify the accession treaty, but this is unlikely to be a hurdle.

It will be the EU's second wave of enlargement into ex-communist eastern Europe, locking the Black Sea neighbours into the zone of stability and prosperity and promising a boost to their fast-growing economies.

''This is the genuine and final fall of the Berlin Wall for Bulgaria,'' Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev told reporters in Sofia, referring to an event that symbolises the 1989 fall of communism in eastern and central Europe.

But the tough entry conditions reflected concern about the countries' shortcomings, including rampant corruption, organised crime and food safety standards, and doubts over their ability to administer billions of euros in EU aid properly.

FEARS OF MIGRATION Bulgaria and Romania may also face curbs on migration, not least because their economic output per capita is around one-third of the EU average. This decision is taken individually by each national government.

Britain, Ireland and Sweden, which opened their job markets for workers from the 10 countries that entered the EU in 2004, are considering restrictions for Bulgarians and Romanians.

The possible sanctions, which may be applied up to three years after the countries' accession, are meant partly to reassure the growing number of enlargement's critics who say the two countries are too poor and too weak administratively.

Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso said today that once Romania and Bulgaria joined the EU, the bloc should not enlarge further until it has reformed its creaking institutions.

Croatia and Turkey are negotiating EU membership and entry prospects have been given to Western Balkan countries.

''Enlargement fatigue'' helped to sink the EU constitution in French and Dutch referendums last year, robbing the bloc of a framework for further expansion. The current treaty provides for a maximum of 27 members before institutional changes are needed.

The EU could have delayed Romanian and Bulgarian membership until 2008, but some Commission officials say privately this would have humiliated the nations.

Both states will have to complete mechanisms to allocate billions of euros in farm subsidies and regional aid. If they do not, Brussels may freeze part of the funds.

Bulgaria will be required to amend its constitution to remove ambiguity about the independence and accountability of the judicial system. It must also adopt new laws to improve the transparency and efficiency of the judicial process.

Romania must strengthen its Superior Council of Magistracy and establish, as promised, ''an integrity agency'' that will verify the assets of senior state officials, the draft said.

Failure to meet these targets could mean other EU members may refuse to recognise judgments of the newcomers' courts.

Bulgaria and Romania will add about 30 million citizens to the bloc's present population of more than 450 million.

REUTERS AB BS1933