The European Commission and some of the member states are growingly displeased by the failure of new members, Romania and Bulgaria, to solve their corruption problems and to implement other reforms, it is shown in a Reuters analysis.
Bulgaria become the center of attention because its apparent incapacity to tame organized crime.
Before the two countries adhesion to EU, the European Commission had a strong influence point: the threat of adhesion delay. This method constrained the two states to accomplish most of their economic and politic reforms, according to Reuters specialists.
In present times, Romania and Bulgaria are members with full rights in the EU block, but the power to influence reforms is more restricted. The UE can take some measures in case one of the countries doesn't honor it's engagements. Some of these measures are mentioned in the adhesion treaty, while others can be applied at any time against any member state.
>FINANCIAL AIDS. The European Commission can reduce, delay or recover the regional aids if it is proved that their administration was affected by corruption. The main point is the fact that Romania should receive, until the end of 2013, European funds of about 32 billions euro, and Bulgaria 11 billions euro. If the EC ascertains that the aids for agriculture were granted inadequately, it can ban these payments. >ALIMENTARY SAFETY. For a period of three years after adhesion, the EC can block exports for Romanian and Bulgarian products to the rest of the EU that are not under European regulations in the veterinarian area, of agriculture hygiene and alimentary safety. The Commission can make a list with the companies that are not allowed to export their products in the EU.
>THE INTERN MARKET. The EC can, after an analysis, limit the application of policies on the interior European market when a state doesn't respect important European regulations. The risk areas are: free people transit, goods, services and capital, as common policies in the competition fields, energy, transport and telecommunications.