Report on progress in Romania under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism

Summary:

Report presented on 22 October 2019 by the European Commission on the progress made by Romania in the context of the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM) since November 2018.

Further information:

In the past year, the Commission has had to revert frequently to developments in Romania relating to judicial reform and the fight against corruption. On each of these occasions, the Commission has confirmed the backtracking from the progress made in previous years and set out in the November 2018 report.

The evolution of the situation in the first months of 2019 was a source of great concern. As a result, the Commission had to inform the Romanian authorities in May 2019 that if the necessary improvements were not made shortly, or if further negative steps were taken, the Commission would take steps under the rule of law framework, which foresees a dialogue to address rule of law concerns (and which can therefore go beyond the parameters of the CVM).

The Commission welcomed the fact that in June, the Romanian government expressed a wish to reset the approach, and effort has been invested in new consultation mechanisms and dialogue with the judiciary. The Commission looks forward to the competent Romanian authorities translating this commitment into concrete legislative and other measures. Progress will require tangible steps, legislative and administrative, to address the recommendations summarised in this report.

EUR-Lex: SWD(2019)393: Romania: Technical Report https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=SWD:2019:393:FIN

---