Memo: Interim Report on Progress in Romania with Judiciary Reform and the Fight against Corruption

Upon accession of Romania on 1 January 2007, certain weaknesses remained in the areas of judicial reform and fight against corruption that could prevent an effective application of EU-laws, policies and programmes. The treaty of accession set the framework for further work in these areas. In addition, the Commission took the obligation within the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism to assist Romania to remedy these shortcomings but also to regularly verify progress against four benchmarks set for judiciary reform and the fight against corruption. These benchmarks are interlinked. They need to be seen together as part of a broad reform of the judicial system and the fight against corruption for which a long term political commitment is needed.