21/06/2005 (Agence Europe) - Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn restated on Tuesday before the EP Committee on Foreign Affairs that the EU process of enlargement to Romania and Bulgaria, as well as to Croatia and Turkey, will continue as planned on the basis of the commitments taken in 2004 and earlier. “This means that Bulgaria and Romania will join the EU in 2007 if they meet the criteria. This also means that membership talks with Croatia and Turkey will begin as soon as the two countries have met the strict criteria set”, Mr Rehn told MEPs. For the Western Balkan States, this means that the European prospects they received in 2003 are maintained, the Commissioner stressed, saying that the European Council reaffirmed on 17 June the conclusion of December 2004 on enlargement (see other articles and EUROPE 8973). EUROPE will come back to Mr Rehn's debate with parliamentarians.