The European Commission's final monitoring report on the state of preparedness for EU membership of Bulgaria and Romania was released on 26 September. The report gives the European Commission's assessment of their progress since May 2006. It confirms that they will be ready to join the European Union on 1 January 2007. However, the Commission's report also identifies a number of areas of continuing concern and makes plain its willingness to take the necessary measures to ensure the proper functioning of the Union following their accession.
The General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) meeting in Luxembourg on 17 October 2006 concluded that Bulgaria and Romania will be in a position to take on the obligations of membership on 1 January 2007. The Council commended both countries on the reforms they have undertaken in preparation for membership. The Council also underlined the importance of continued political commitment by both countries to address the outstanding issues identified in the Commission's report. The Enlargement Working Group, which meets regularly in Brussels, will continue to monitor the two countries' preparedness for membership.
Throughout this process, Ireland has fully supported the Commission in its efforts to ensure full compliance with the requirements of membership. We have urged both countries to make full use of the period prior to accession in order to deal with the problem areas highlighted by the Commission.
We have also sought to provide practical support to both countries in their preparations for membership. Bulgaria and Romania currently benefit from the Department of Foreign Affairs' Accession Training Programme and can continue to do so for a period following their accession. There is already a programme in place dedicated to capacity-building in public administration in both countries and we are currently developing a programme to promote transparency in recruitment and promotion in the Bulgarian public sector.