EIU: Romania-EU Relations Still Tense Over Thin Progress In Fighting Corruption

"Romania was a net recipient of EU funding of EUR1.4 billion in 2008, and EU assistance to Romania will play a central role in preventing a sharper economic collapse and stimulating economic recovery. Nevertheless, relations with the EU continue to be complicated by the government's attitude towards judicial reform and the fight against corruption," the EIU said in its country outlook for 2010-11.

EIU said that Romania managed to avoid financial penalties from the European Commission for its failure to tackle corruption, but the government will remain subject to the continuing operation of the Co-operation and Verification Mechanism.

The Commission's recommendation that safeguard clauses should not be implemented against Romania came "a little at odds" with a previous interim report on the country's progress in the sector, which argued that Romania "had not maintained progress in judicial reform or in the fight against high-level corruption," the report showed.

Romania obtained EUR5 billion financial aid from the European Union, as part of a wider EUR20 billion loan package which comprises funds from the International Monetary Fund and other lenders.

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