There is no imminent risk of applying any EU economic safeguard clauses on Bulgaria, energy and economy minister said.
The Treaty of Accession of Bulgaria and Romania includes three provisions allowing the Union to remedy difficulties encountered as a result of accession. Besides the general economic clause, there are also a specific internal market safeguard clause and a specific justice and home affairs provision.
These safeguards are the same as the ones included in the Accession Treaty of the EU10 Member states, which joined in 2004.
Talking to Bulgarian National Radio on Sunday, Rumen Ovcharov expressed assurance Bulgaria will enter the Union as scheduled, on 1 January 2007.
Bulgaria has made up with the delay in implementing the pre-accession engagements and reforms, Ovharov stressed.
In addition to these safeguard clauses, Bulgaria and Romania's Treaty includes a clause that may postpone the accession of any or both countries by one year, should they be manifestly unprepared for EU membership.