Comprehensive monitoring report on the state of preparedness for EU membership of Bulgaria and Romania

The accession negotiations with Bulgaria and Romania were concluded in December 2004 and a Treaty of Accession was signed in April 2005 with a view to welcoming both countries as members as from January 2007. This Treaty is currently being ratified.

The accession of Bulgaria and Romania will complete the fifth enlargement of the EU which started in May 2004 with the accession of ten new Member States mostly from central Europe. It will bring these countries which had been artificially separated from Europe in recent history back into the European family and will benefit all Member States in the enlarged EU by further extending peace, democracy and prosperity throughout Europe.