Romania and Bulgaria have officially been accepted to join the EU on 1 January 2007.
BBC News : EU approves Bulgaria and Romania
The conditions of accession are stricter than for the 10 new members of 2004. Allowing the two countries to join in 3 months' time is probably a good thing as the EU will be able to put more pressure on them and force them to carry out much needed reforms. We could see the situation as the EU becoming the tutor of the two Balkan nations, which also means them giving up much more of their sovereignty to Brussels than other EU members, as long as they haven't caught up.
BBC News : EU approves Bulgaria and Romania
BBC said:Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said both countries had made enough progress to join the union.
But they will be checked for progress in curbing organised crime and corruption, and ensuring food safety and the proper use of EU funds.
Bulgaria's PM said the move was the fall of the Berlin Wall for his nation.
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Unless Bulgaria cracks down on organised crime, legal decisions taken by its courts could be disregarded in the rest of Europe.
Both countries will have to report every six months on progress in fighting corruption.
By March, they also need to set up agencies to handle millions of euros worth of EU farm aid, or risk losing a quarter of the cash.
Both will face food export bans due to outbreaks of animal diseases like swine fever, while Bulgarian planes could be banned from flying into EU airspace until the country improves its air safety standards.
There could also be restrictions on migration to other EU countries for up to three years.
The conditions of accession are stricter than for the 10 new members of 2004. Allowing the two countries to join in 3 months' time is probably a good thing as the EU will be able to put more pressure on them and force them to carry out much needed reforms. We could see the situation as the EU becoming the tutor of the two Balkan nations, which also means them giving up much more of their sovereignty to Brussels than other EU members, as long as they haven't caught up.