Brussels, 20/07/2006 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday, during the last meeting of the College of Commissioners before the summer break, Commissioner Olli Rehn (enlargement) briefly took stock of the preparations underway for Bulgaria and Romania's accession to the EU. The Commission will adopt its decisive monitoring reports on 26 September. On the basis of its assessment on implementation of the acquis communautaire, it is expected to make a clear recommendation to the Council: - either to confirm, on 1 January 2007, the date for Bulgaria and Romania's accession (the most likely option), possibly with application of safeguard measures in specific fields after accession, and in this case, no new formal Council decision would be needed in the autumn; - or to recommend the use of the “super safeguard clause” allowing the EU to postpone accession by one year till 1 January 2008. In the latter, albeit unlikely, case, the Council should formally decide whether it follows the Commission's recommendation or not (in this case, the question would certainly be on the agenda of the informal European Council of Lahti on 24 October). “The current situation in Bulgaria and Romania can be summarised as follows”, the Commission spokesman said on Wednesday, going on to add that “there is progress and good results” in the accession preparations, especially in problematical areas pinpointed in the Commission's May report, “but both countries must keep up the momentum in order to reach a good result”, namely the Commission's go-ahead in September.