Commission slams Romania with scathing report

Romania needs to ensure respect for the rule of law and judicial independence to win back the trust of its partners in the EU, said the report adopted by the European Commission on the 18 July 2012 under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM).

The report coverd a period of five years since Romania's accession to the EU in 2007 and presented the Commission's assessment of progress achieved in Romania during this period, focusing on judicial reform and the fight against corruption.

The European Commission also published on the same day its parallel Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM) report for Bulgaria.

• Primary Source

EUObserver, 18.7.12: Romania and Bulgaria continue to flout rule of law http://euobserver.com/22/117008

EUObserver, 18.7.12: Romania: Will strong words be enough? http://euobserver.com/843/117006

European Commission; RAPID: Press Release, IP/12/799: Romania: Urgent action needed to demonstrate commitment to rule of law and judicial independence http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/12/799&format=PDF&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

ESO: Background information: EU increases pressure on Bucharest / Romanian premier pledges U-turn on law http://www.europeansources.info/record/eu-increases-pressure-on-bucharest-romanian-premier-pledges-u-turn-on-law/

ESO: Background information: Romania's political turmoil may hit Schengen bid / Romania illustrates limits of EU power http://www.europeansources.info/record/romanias-political-turmoil-may-hit-schengen-bid-romania-illustrates-limits-of-eu-power/

ESO: Background information: Romania and Bulgaria lagging behind on reforms http://www.europeansources.info/record/romania-and-bulgaria-lagging-behind-on-reforms/

European Commission: Secretariat General: Mechanism for Cooperation and Verification for Bulgaria and Romania: Assessing ongoing progress by Bulgaria and Roma http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/secretariat_general/cvm/index_en.htm

BBC News, 18.7.12: EU Commission chides Romania over state corruption http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18889374

Deutsche Welle, 17.7.12: Corruption, power plays keep Romania under scrutiny http://www.dw.de/dw/article/0,,16103561,00.html

Spiegel Online International, 18.7.12: EU Report Blasts Romanian Commitment to Rule of Law http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/romanian-leader-yields-to-eu-pressure-on-judicial-independence-a-845154.html

România libera / Adevărul / Sega, 18.7.12: Bucharest and Sofia, still incorrigible for Commission (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/press-review/2371221-bucharest-and-sofia-still-incorrigible-commission

EUObserver, 25.7.12: EU commission still 'very worried' about Romanian democracy http://euobserver.com/843/117069

Spiegel Online International, 23.7.12: SPIEGEL Interview with Romanian Prime Minister Ponta: 'I Haven't Communicated Well Enough with Europe' http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/interview-with-romanian-prime-minister-ponta-on-democracy-and-europe-a-845850.html

Standart / Le Monde / România liber, 3.9.12: Bulgaria could overtake Romania (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/news-brief/2628521-bulgaria-could-overtake-romania

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