EC Draft Report: EC Continues To Monitor Romania Under MCV, Next Assessment Due In Summer 2010

The Commission also notes the next assessment of Romania’s progress within the MCV will be presented in the summer of 2010.

The Commission noted that, in public discussion of the MCV, there is often confusion between the MCV and the safeguard clauses contained in the Treaty of Accession.

"There is no automatic link between the MCV and the safeguard clauses enshrined in the accession Treaty for Romania,” the EC said in the draft report, adding that safeguard clauses are a standard feature which ahs been included in all accession treaties since 1973.

The Commission explains that the purpose of safeguard clauses is neither to sanction lack of progress under the MCV nor to sanction lack of political commitment for reform. Safeguard clauses, which can be triggered in the period January 2007 – December 2009 and temporary suspend the application of relevant EU legislation, were introduced to ensure the efficient functioning of the internal market and of the area of freedom, security and justice.

"The Commission is of the view, based on the above assessment, that the conditions for invoking the safeguard clauses are not fulfilled,” the draft report states.

On the other hand, the Commission noted the MCV has entered its third year.

"It was not introduced for a fixed period and it should only be removed when all the benchmarks it set have been satisfactorily fulfilled. It is clear that meeting the objectives set in the benchmarks is a long-term task: for instance, tacking the root causes of corruption will take time,” the EC noted.

The Commission added the MCV ios a support tool which must be maintained until reform is accomplished. The Commission will make a new assessment of Romania’s progress in the summer of 2010.

The final EC justice reports on Romania and Bulgaria will be released Wednesday, July 22.