Don Lydon (Fianna Fail)

I spoke last week about what the Bulgarians are doing and now wish to turn my attention to the Romanians. The Romanian Government is aware that remedying all the remaining issues and continuing the internal preparations in all areas remains the priority. It is committed to completing all internal preparations in order to meet the 1 January 2007 accession objective.

Following the comprehensive monitoring report of the European Commission, issued on 16 May, the Romanian Government adopted a concrete plan of priority measures, a to-do list for remedying the issues that were still of concern in internal preparations. An in-depth presentation and discussion of the action plan took place on 7 June 2006 with the Commission in Brussels. The to-do list focuses on the key areas pointed out by the monitoring report of the Commission in internal preparation, namely, the four red flag areas identified in the agriculture and taxation fields.

Even if the fight against corruption and reform of the judiciary no longer represent issues of serious concern to the Commission, they are still very high on the Romanian Government's agenda, and special emphasis is placed on their achievement. Therefore, specific measures with regard to those two fields have also been included in the action plan to provide further tangible progress on the ground and ensure the irreversibility of the reforms.

The plan establishes for each issue precise measures to be accomplished, together with strict deadlines, as well as institutions in charge of their achievement so that progress can be seen in all those areas by the time of the Commission's autumn report.

Regarding agriculture, the action plan focuses on the full functioning of the paying and intervention agencies and finalisation of the integrated administration control system, IACS, as well as on the rendering and collection system. Concrete measures are being implemented, including filling vacant positions in the two paying and intervention agencies, to be finalised in September 2006. A tender has also been issued for the necessary software for the IACS system, which is also due to be finalised by the autumn.

With regard to the sanitary and veterinary field, Romania will send all information regarding the rendering system in the country to the Commission this month. By the end of the year, two important measures will also be finalised. These are completion of the rendering facilities system and the destruction of fodder stocks based on animal proteins.

Preliminary testing of the compliance of the tax collection system in Romania with those used in the European Union will take place in July. Testing is to be completed by October 2006. Work is in progress regarding a law on financing political parties, as well as one on verifying statements of assets, conflicts of interest and incompatibilities that will establish an agency for checking declarations of assets and incompatibilities. The deadline for adoption of the two draft laws is the end of August.

The institutions in charge have already begun work in the spirit of the to-do list since publication of the Commission's monitoring report. Several important outcomes have already become visible, especially regarding justice reform. The criminal code and criminal procedures code have already been adopted by the Parliament.

Romania focuses well on areas where further efforts are needed, so-called yellow flag issues, to strengthen its capacity to function effectively within the EU after accession. To that end, the action plan was adopted. Romania is working closely with the Commission to advance its preparation for accession further. In that context, monthly reports will be sent to the Commission's services regarding progress in internal preparation. Furthermore, several peer review and evaluation missions will take place during the period to allow thorough assessment of the situation. Romania is convinced that based on solid progress in internal preparation, the Commission's next evaluation on 26 September will note decisive advances in all those areas and convey a message of support regarding its objective of joining the EU on 1 January 2007.

The forthcoming accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the EU will mark the completion of the Union's fifth enlargement, increasing its membership from 15 to 27. It is a wonderful project. Since the Commission's monitoring report in October 2005, both countries have significantly reduced the number of issues to be addressed. Some of the problem areas that remain are common to the two, particularly regarding implementing the necessary arrangements for the disbursement of EU funds. In agriculture, the two countries are working to establish a proper, integrated administration and control system.

Ireland believes that Bulgaria and Romania must make full use of the time available to address the remaining issues so that they can join the Union as planned on 1 January 2007. We look forward to working with them as equal partners in a successful Union of 27 member states. I thank the Cathaoirleach for his indulgence.