Brussels, 17/01/2012 (Agence Europe) - The Romanian minister for justice, Catalin Predoiu, came to Brussels on Monday 16 January to appeal for the cooperation and verification mechanism (CVM) to be brought to an end by July 2012. On this date, the Commission will be publishing its annual report on the mechanism (a progress report is expected in February). The Romanian minister held meetings with Commissioners Malmström and Reding. The CVM seeks to evaluate and guide reforms undertaken in the fight against corruption. It also seeks to introduce improvements to the legal system. The mechanism has applied to Romania and Bulgaria since they joined the EU in 2007. Irrespective of the subject at the outset, the CVM has been introduced by ministers for home affairs in the Schengen area as criteria for allowing Romania and Bulgaria to join the free movement area. The link between these two dossiers became more or less official in January 2011, with a letter from France and Germany insisting on taking CVM results into account when making a decision on Schengen enlargement, which was based, hitherto on exclusively technical criteria.
In Brussels, the minister was keen to underline the “unprecedented efforts” accomplished by his country for strengthening the rule of law, explained Euractiv in a report. The minister would like the CVM to end in July 2012, when the Commission provides its new evaluation.
This date is also important for other member countries, such as the Netherlands, which have made their decision on enlarging the Schengen area conditional on this new Commission report. The most recent report published in July 2011, indicated that progress had been made but that there was still a number of persistent shortcomings identified in the fight against corruption and the fact that certain trials had produced acquittals. Schengen member countries considered that the report was negative overall. Unanimity is required if Romania and Bulgaria are to join the Schengen area. Last July, the Commission, however, opened the door to a possible suspension of the CVM in July 2012 and said that it was prepared, depending on the results of its reports, to consider the necessity of maintaining this instrument or not. (SP/transl.fl)