Romania: membership application and partnership, 22 June 1995

Adopting the report by Mr Bernard-Reymond (PPE, F), the committee considered that it would be premature to open accession negotiations with Romania. The committee based its view on the macro-economic imbalances throughout the Romanian economy. The report also highlighted the delays in Romania's undertaking the structural reforms to its economy (privatization is proceeding more slowly than in 1997). In addition, despite the resistance to certain reforms (transparency of the Securitate, return of property confiscated in 1948), the committee was keen to emphasize that Romania had made considerable progress at the political level (demilitarization of the police, representation of the Hungarian minority in the government). While encouraging Romania to continue its efforts on the political and economic fronts in order to meet the Copenhagen criteria, the committee referred to the country's aspiration to become a member of the EU and reiterated that it was only by using existing instruments to the full (Europe Agreements, accession partnership) that mutual cooperation could be developed between the EU and Romania.�