Cox cautions Romania on challenges ahead

Date: 02/10/03

EUROPEAN Parliament President Pat Cox has sounded a note of caution about Romania's objective of joining the EU in 2007.

He said the country still had a “long and challenging” road to travel before it is ready to join the Union, which will expand to 25 member states next May.

Romania, along with Bulgaria, is due to complete the present round of enlargement within three years. Speaking in Strasbourg, Cox praised Romania's efforts in closing 19 chapters in its accession negotiations. But the technical milestones which each country must achieve to meet the Copenhagen criteria for membership do not stop there, he stressed.

“When we [Parliament] receive the Commission's regular report on 5 November, we hope to find there a record of solid progress on, not only the negotiations, but also on the key issues of respect for the rule of law, further clear steps to improve administrative and judicial capacity for rooting out corruption, better protection for minority rights, better protection of the rights of children and, we hope too, progress towards achieving the status of a fully functioning market economy.”

He said it was still the wish of Parliament that Romania would be ready to join the Union by 2007.

“It is not just us 'preaching down' to Romania. Romania's own enlightened self interest dictates that it be equipped with a capacity to carry out a public policy of integrity, one that will offer future generations the best possibilities. Having closed 19 chapters, Romania has travelled almost two-thirds of the road of technical preparation. We urge the country to persist, even if the road ahead for Romania's overall preparation for membership remains a long and challenging one.”

Cox's comments came after Romanian President Ion Iliescu addressed Parliament last week.