Romania member of the European Union

Year of EU entry: 2007 Capital city: Bucharest Total area: 238 391 km Population: 21.5 million Currency: Romanian leu Schengen area: Not a member of Schengen Romania is located in Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Ukraine. The total area of the country measures 238,391 sq km, being on the 83 place in the world. The border countries are: Bulgaria, Hungary, Moldova, Serbia and Ukraine. The Romanian parliament consists of two chambers, the Senat (Senate) and the Camera Deputailor (Chamber of Deputies). The members of both are chosen in elections held every four years. Ethnically, the population is 90% Romanian and 7% Hungarian. The Romanian language, like a number of others in southern Europe, is directly descended from Latin, although Romania is separated from other Romance-language countries by Slav speakers. Romania has considerable natural resources oil, natural gas, coal, iron, copper and bauxite. Metal-working, petrochemicals and mechanical engineering are the main industries. Romanias diplomatic relations with the European Union date from 1990. Following Romanias return to democracy, a Trade and Cooperation Agreement was signed in 1991. The EU-Romania relations culminated with the signing of the Europe Association Agreement on 1 February 1993, which entered into force two years later for an unlimited period. The agreement prepared for the creation of a free trade area and was a forerunner of possible accession. Romania submits its application for EU membership on 22 June 1995. The formal application of the Europe Agreement set the stage for: Romanias participation in the structured political dialogue between the European Union and the associated countries The improved access of Romanian products to the community market; since 1996, by applying the asymmetry principle provided for in the Association Agreement, the European Union unilaterally promoted the liberalization of commercial exchanges with Romania The involvement of Romania in projects concerning the expansion and development of transEuropean infrastructure networks (transportation, communications, energy)

 Romanias participation in various Community programmes (research, industrial cooperation, energy, environmental protection, etc.) Support for personnel training. At the Copenhagen summit in June 1993, the European Council turned its attention to the EU enlargement. It declared that the associated countries in Central and Eastern Europe which so desire shall become members of the European Union, and it spelled out the so-called Copenhagen criteria, by which candidate countries would be judged for accession: Stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights, and respect for and protection of minorities Existence of a functioning market economy, as well as the capacity to cope with competitive pressure and market forces within the EU Ability to take on the obligations of membership, including adherence to the aims of political, economic, and monetary union.

By spelling the criteria, the European Union gave the certitude on the one side that the CEEC countries will be accepted in the Union, on the other side it is not up to the Union, but to the candidate countries to make the required progress for joining the EU. It was also decided that each country would join the Union when it is ready to do so, having the possibility to catch up the other applicants.

In 1995 Romania officially applies for EU membership, but only in 1999 The European Council in Helsinki decides to start negotiations with six candidates states (Slovakia, Latvia, Lithuania, Bulgaria and Malta), among them Romania. By the end of 2004 all the 31 chapters of the acquis communautaire have been closed. Romania signs the Treaty of Accession to European Union on 25th of April 2005 in the same time with Bulgaria. The areas referring to the accession negotiations to EU are structured in 31 chapters and enclose all EUs legislation (acquis communautaire). When the applicant state accepts the common EU position, the respective chapter is considered provisionally closed. The negotiations are closed only when all chapters have been negotiated, no chapter been considered definitely closed until all 31 chapters are finished. The negotiations results are incorporated in a draft accession treaty. The treaty is submitted to the Council for approval and to the European Parliament for assent, and then is submitted to the Member States and the applicant country for ratification. In certain cases this may imply a referendum. The treaty enters into force and the applicant becomes a Member State at the accession date.

Since 1st of January 2007 Romania has become EU Member State with rights and obligations regularized by EUs treaties and laws which Romania has to consider as every Member State of EU.

Bibliography:
http://www.iet.ntnu.no/~ralf/muller/pubs/romEU.pdf - Romanias Way into the EU, Author:

Liana Mller
http://www.adrnordest.ro/index.php?page=ROMANIA_EU_MEMBER&language=2 http://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrarea_Rom%C3%A2niei_%C3%AEn_Uniunea_European%C4%83 https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ro.html