Brussels, 26/06/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday, the European Commission is to publish two reports in which Bulgaria and Romania will come under considerable criticism, as neither country have managed to reach the standards required when it comes to improving their legal systems and combating corruption and organised crime, official sources told EUROPE. Nonetheless, no sanctions are to be imposed on the two new entrants, that will be requested to step up their efforts to attain the objectives set. “There will be no big telling off. The safeguard clauses have not been triggered”, one official said. He went on to say: “Nonetheless, we do not rule out that they may be applied by the end of the year if the problem continues”. In September 2006, the Commission had felt that Bulgaria and Romania were sufficiently prepared for European Union membership in the given time, but reserved the right to take restrictive measures against the two countries should failings last, mainly in the way the legal system works and in the fight against organised crime and corruption (EUROPE 9273). The Commission reports underline the fact that Romania has made progress in the reform of its judicial system and with regard to the creation of an agency for national integrity. They mention the fact, however, that, in both countries, the fight against high level corruption is insufficient. “Bulgaria seems to be in a more difficult position than Romania”, a source confirmed. The content of the report concerning Bulgaria in fact echoes the feeble results in the area of legal reform and in that of combating crime and corruption. Every six months, the European Commission has the task of reviewing progress made by the two countries with a view to a series of reference objectives on justice and home affairs. These new reports in some respects are an “intermediary stage”, a source says, pointing out that the Commission may proceed to a new examination towards the end of the year, probably in December, on the situation in both countries. (bc)