Romania’s reform dynamic under the so called EU Cooperation and Verification Mechanism has been spoiled by crucial issues, according to the annual progress report published by the European Commission.

The Commission document drafted under the monitoring mechanism designed to ensure that Bulgaria and Romania keep up their reform efforts after the two countries’ accession to the EU in 2007 has recognized some achievements in Romania but has also identified key problem areas.

It points out “limited progress” in the country since the Commission’s last monitoring report especially with respect to the Romanian judiciary, as well as accountability and disciplinary procedures.

“Overall, despite progress in some areas, the assessment of the Commission points to important shortcomings in Romania's efforts to achieve progress under the CVM. Romania does not show sufficient political commitment to support the reform process. The amendments to the law on the National Integrity Agency voted on 30 June represent a serious step back. The law puts at risk the positive track-record which ANI had achieved and puts Romania in clear breach of its accession commitments,“ states the report.

The Commission believes the political commitment on part of the crucial institutional factors in Romania is not sufficient as far as the reform efforts are concerned.

Nonetheless, it recognizes that reform efforts could be intensified anew:

“After a slow-down of Parliamentary work, Romania has re-gained some momentum for reform in the second quarter of 2010 and embarked on a major legislative reform with the Parliamentary approval of the civil and criminal procedure codes on 22 June... To sustain this reform process, the Commission calls upon Romania to build on the strong Parliamentary support for the procedural codes and extend this political will to other areas,” concludes the EC.

It says that Romania should overcome the “unwillingness of the leadership of the judiciary to cooperate and take responsibility for the benefit of reform.“

The Commission recommends that Romania should focus on several key aspects of judicial reform, and that it should correct the legislation dealing with the National Integrity Agency, strengthen anti-corruption sanctions, and re-examine its legislation on public procurement procedures – which is very similar to a point made in the EC report on Bulgaria.

Full Text of the EC monitoring report on Romania READ HERE

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