The committee adopted the own-initiative report
drawn up by Geoffrey van ORDEN (EPP-ED, UK) in response to the Commission's final
monitoring report on the accession of Bulgaria
and Romania.
The committee welcomed the confirmation from the Commission and Council that
Bulgaria was sufficiently prepared for EU membership on 1 January 2007, but
it also noted that there are areas "that require further progress"
as far as the political criteria are concerned: the need for maximum
transparency in every sector, a stronger role for the Bulgarian Ombudsman,
rigorous implementation of measures to improve the training of police
investigators, the coordination of anti-corruption policies and a
strengthening of inspectorates within the public administration. Moreover, police
units specialising in the fight against organised crime, corruption, drugs
and human trafficking should be expanded.
MEPs also raised a number of points of concern, such as
the conditions in children's homes and other institutional care and the
protection of minorities. The latter issue should be included in the newly
established cooperation and verification mechanism after accession.
With regard to the economic criteria, the committee
expressed concern at "continuing invisible barriers to foreign investors",
and urged the Bulgarian government to take measures in order to ensure a
"positive investment climate".
The report also looked at Bulgaria's progress in respect of
the 'acquis communautaire'. It welcomed the progress made on the trade in
live animals and animal welfare, such as in the transportation and slaughter
of animals and the treatment of animal by-products. With regard to energy,
the committee recognised the sacrifice that Bulgaria
would have to make in closing units 3 and 4 of the Kozloduy nuclear
plant and asked the Council to consider a delay of eight months to allow
for a review. The report also recognised that "not merely Bulgaria, but countries throughout Europe are
facing an energy gap in the years ahead, with increasing reliance on imports
of energy from Russia
and areas of instability".
Finally, MEPs insisted that after accession
Parliament should be further involved in the monitoring process regarding Bulgaria and
that it should be fully associated "in
any consideration of activation of safeguard clauses".