With the accession of Bulgaria and Romania on 1 January 2007, the number of Member States of the European Union increases to 27.

On 1 February 1993, the European Communities and their Member States conclude a Europe agreement with Romania of which the main aims are to establish a free-trade area between the contracting parties and to provide a basis for economic, financial, cultural and social cooperation.

On 8 March 1994, the European Communities and their Member States conclude a Europe Agreement with Bulgaria of which the main aims are to establish a free-trade area between the contracting parties and to provide a basis for economic, financial, cultural and social cooperation.

On 22 June 1995, Nicolae Vacaroiu, Prime Minister of Romania, forwards to Hervé de Charette, French Foreign Minister and President-in-Office of the Council of the European Union (EU), a letter in which he officially submits Romania’s application for accession to the EU.

On 14 December 1995, Jean Videnov, Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria, forwards to Javier Solana, Spanish Foreign Minister and President-in-Office of the Council of the European Union (EU), a letter in which he officially submits Bulgaria’s application for accession to the EU.

On 15 July 1997, in an Opinion issued on Bulgaria's application for accession to the European Union, the European Commission emphasises the progress made by the country in order to comply with the political and economic criteria. However, it considers that Bulgaria is experiencing serious problems in transposing the Community acquis into national law and reaches the conclusion that the accession negotiations will be opened as soon as the country has made sufficient progress to meet the accession terms set by the Copenhagen European Council.

On 15 July 1997, in an Opinion on Romania’s application for accession to the European Union, the European Commission emphasises the progress made by the country in order to comply with the political and economic criteria. However, it considers that Romania is experiencing serious problems in transposing the Community acquis into national law and reaches the conclusion that the accession negotiations will be opened as soon as the country has made sufficient progress to meet the accession terms set by the Copenhagen European Council.

The Luxembourg European Council on 12 and 13 December 1997 decides to launch a comprehensive, inclusive and ongoing enlargement process, including the ten applicant States for accession to the Union from Central and Eastern Europe and Cyprus.

On 10 and 11 December 1999, the Helsinki European Council decides to open accession negotiations with Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Slovakia and Romania. By stating that, ‘in the negotiations, each candidate State will be judged on its own merits’, the European Council consolidates the principle of differentiation.

On 13 November 2002, the European Commission proposes detailed roadmaps for the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union in advance of the Copenhagen European Council which is due to be held on 12 and 13 December.

The Copenhagen European Council, meeting on 12 and 13 December 2002, concludes negotiations with 10 countries applying for accession to the European Union and fixes the date for their accession at 1 May 2004. Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia become accession countries. The European Union sets the target date for accession by Bulgaria and Romania at 2007.

On 17 and 18 June 2004, the European Council recalls the Union's objective to welcome Bulgaria and Romania as Member States in January 2007, reaffirms the Union's commitment to the opening of accession negotiations with Turkey if, in December, it decides that the country fulfils the Copenhagen political criteria and recognises Croatia as an applicant country.

On 6 October 2004, the European Commission forwards to the Council and to the European Parliament a Strategy Paper in which it emphasises the progress made by Romania and by the Republic of Bulgaria towards their accession to the European Union and gives its views on the terms of and on Croatia's state of preparedness for future accession to the European Union.

On 16 and 17 December 2004, the Brussels European Council looks forward to welcoming Bulgaria and Romania as Member States from January 2007.

On 12 January 2005, the French daily newspaper Le Monde comments on the European Commission’s concerns at the fact that Bulgaria and Romania have fallen behind in the application of Community legislation, the fight against corruption and respect for freedoms.

On 22 February 2005, the European Commission delivers a favourable opinion on the accession to the European Union of Bulgaria and Romania.

On 12 April 2005, a debate is held in the European Parliament on the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union.

On 13 April 2005, the European Parliament adopts a Legislative Resolution in order to give its assent to the application by Bulgaria to become a member of the European Union.

On 13 April 2005, the European Parliament adopts a Legislative Resolution in order to give its assent to the application by Romania to become a member of the European Union.

On 18 April 2005, the German weekly magazine Der Spiegel adopts a sceptical attitude towards the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union, particularly because of these countries’ slow progress in tackling organised crime and corruption.

On 25 April 2005, the Council decides to accept the applications for admission of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union.

On 1 June 2005, commenting on France’s rejection of the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, the French daily newspaper Le Figaro highlights the possible consequences that this vote will have on the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union.

‘European depression.’ On 7 June 2005, following France’s rejection of the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, German cartoonist Sakurai illustrates the serious crisis facing the European Union and particularly portrays the repercussions on the EU enlargement process.

On 3 August 2005, the French daily newspaper Le Monde reports on the political crisis affecting Bulgaria and Romania which threatens to delay their accession to the European Union.

On 25 April 2005, in Luxembourg, the representatives of Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom, together with the Bulgarian and Romanian representatives, sign the Treaty of Accession to the European Union of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania.

On 25 April 2005, in Luxembourg, the representatives of Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom, together with the Bulgarian and Romanian representatives, sign the Protocol concerning the conditions and arrangements for admission of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union.

On 25 April 2005, in Luxembourg, Traian Basescu, President of Romania, and Siméon de Saxe-Cobourg-Gotha, Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria, sign the Treaty of Accession to the European Union for their respective countries.

On 25 April 2005, at the ceremony held to mark the signing, in Luxembourg, of the Treaty of Accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union, Jean-Claude Juncker, Luxembourg Prime Minister and President-in-Office of the European Council, delivers a speech in which he welcomes the significance of the event but emphasises the difficulties which marked the accession negotiations.

On 25 April 2005, at the ceremony held to mark the signing, in Luxembourg, of the Treaty of Accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union, Josep Borrell Fontelles, President of the European Parliament, delivers an address in which he welcomes the accession of the two countries.

On 25 April 2005, at the ceremony held to mark the signing, in Luxembourg, of the Treaty of Accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union, José Manuel Durão Barroso, President of the European Commission, delivers an address in which he emphasises the work that is necessary to ensure that the two countries are fully prepared for their accession, which is scheduled for 1 January 2007.

On 25 April 2005, at the ceremony held to mark the signing, in Luxembourg, of the Treaty of Accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union, Simeon Sakskoburggotski, Bulgarian Prime Minister, delivers an address in which he emphasises the historic dimension of the event for his country.

On 25 April 2005, at the ceremony held to mark the signing, in Luxembourg, of the Treaty of Accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union, Traian Basescu, President of Romania, delivers an address in which he emphasises the historical importance of this Treaty for his country and gives an account of the path taken by Romania since the fall of the dictatorship in 1989.

On 25 April 2005, representatives of the Member States of the European Union, of the Council, of the European Commission and of the European Parliament are photographed alongside the Bulgarian and Romanian representatives during the ceremony held in Luxembourg to mark the signing of the Treaties of Accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union.

On 25 April 2005, representatives of Bulgaria sign the Treaty of Accession to the European Union in Luxembourg. In the process of signing are, seated from left to right, Georgi Parvanov, Bulgarian President, and Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. Standing behind them are Solomon Passy, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Meglena Kuneva, Minister of European Affairs.

On 25 April 2005, representatives of Romania sign the Treaty of Accession to the European Union in Luxembourg. In the process of signing are, seated from left to right, Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Leonard Orban, Romania's Chief Negotiator with the EU. Standing behind them are President Traian Basescu and Prime Minister Calin Popescu-Taricean.

On 25 April 2005, José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, Traian Basescu, President of Romania, Jean-Claude Juncker, Luxembourg Prime Minister and President-in-Office of the Council of the European Union, Georgi Parvanov, President of Bulgaria, and Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Prime Minister of Bulgaria, hold a joint press conference in Luxembourg to mark the signing of the Treaties of Accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union.

On 25 April 2005, Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (left), Bulgarian Prime Minister, and Calin Popescu-Tariceanu (right), Romanian Prime Minister, shake hands on the margins of the ceremony held in Luxembourg for the signing of the Treaties of Accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union.

On 25 April 2005, representatives of the Member States of the European Union, of the Council, of the European Commission and of the European Parliament are photographed alongside the Bulgarian and Romanian representatives during the ceremony held in Luxembourg to mark the signing of the Treaties of Accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union.

On 29 April 2005, Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Prime Minister and former King of Bulgaria, grants an interview to the daily newspaper Luxemburger Wort in which he places particular emphasis on the historic significance of the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union but without glossing over the difficulties which need to be overcome before accession, due to take place on 1 January 2007.

On 20 April 2006, the Swiss daily newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung emphasises the differences between Romania and Bulgaria in their preparedness for accession to the European Union.

On 10 April 2006, referring to the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union (EU), the German daily newspaper Die Welt publishes an interview with Olli Rehn, European Commissioner with special responsibility for Enlargement, on the prospects for enlargement of the EU.

On 10 April 2006, the German weekly news magazine Der Spiegel criticises the enlargement policy of the European Union, which is continuing to support the accession of Bulgaria and Romania despite the economic and political difficulties experienced by the two countries.

On 13 April 2006, the German weekly newspaper Die Zeit comments on the attitude of Olli Rehn, European Commissioner with special responsibility for Enlargement, in view of the apprehension of European citizens at the latest enlargements of the European Union.

On 14 May 2006, two days before the submission by the European Commission of the monitoring report on the state of preparedness for EU membership of Bulgaria and Romania, the German Sunday newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung presents the accession of the two countries as a stabilising factor for this entire region of Europe.

On 16 May 2006, the European Commission publishes its monitoring report on the state of preparedness of Bulgaria and Romania for accession to the European Union. Given the general progress made by these two countries, the Commission considers that they should be ready to accede on 1 January 2007, on condition that, in the intervening period, they resolve some outstanding problems.

On 17 May 2006, the French daily newspaper Le Figaro comments on the monitoring report on the state of preparedness for EU membership of Bulgaria and Romania, submitted the previous day in Brussels by the European Commission.

On 19 May 2006, in Brussels, on the occasion of the submission by the European Commission of the monitoring report on the state of preparedness for EU membership of Bulgaria and Romania, the weekly newspaper D’Lëtzebuerger Land comments on the efforts made by the two countries to comply with the accession criteria.

On 14 June 2006, one month after the publication of the European Commission Monitoring Report on the state of preparedness for EU membership of Bulgaria and Romania, the European Parliament adopts a resolution on the accession of these two countries to the European Union.

On 15 September 2006, Calin Popescu-Tariceanu, Romanian Prime Minister, gives his views to the German daily newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung on the fears expressed by the Member States of the European Union in the light of the sixth enlargement of the European Union.

On 26 September 2006, the European Commission adopts its final monitoring report on the state of preparedness of Bulgaria and Romania for accession to the European Union (EU). Given the progress made, the Commission considers that these two countries will be in a position to assume the rights and obligations associated with their accession to the EU on 1 January 2007.

On 26 September 2006, José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, delivers an address to the Members of the European Parliament in Strasbourg in which he comments on the final monitoring report on the state of preparedness of Bulgaria and Romania for accession to the European Union.

On 26 September 2006, the European Parliament holds a debate on the final monitoring report of the European Commission on the state of preparedness of Bulgaria and Romania for accession to the European Union.

On 26 September 2006, the Swiss daily newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung welcomes the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union (EU), due to take place on 1 January 2007, and expects the economic development of the EU to be given fresh impetus.

On 27 September 2006, the Bavarian daily newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung welcomes the green light given by the European Commission to the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union. It supports the application of strict criteria to the applicant countries while deploring the inadequacy of the control measures for the existing Member States of the European Union.

On 29 September 2006, the French daily newspaper Le Figaro criticises the European Commission report on the state of preparedness of Bulgaria and Romania for accession to the European Union (EU) and recommends that a debate be held on the external borders of the EU.

On 17 October 2006, following the European Commission’s final Monitoring Report issued on 26 September, the Council of the European Union decides to welcome Bulgaria and Romania as Member States of the European Union as from 1 January 2007.

On 30 November 2006, the European Parliament adopts its final resolution on Romania’s accession to the European Union.

On 30 November 2006, the European Parliament adopts its final resolution on Bulgaria’s accession to the European Union.

On 5 March 2005, the German daily newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung comments on the progress of reforms undertaken in Romania with a view to the country’s accession to the European Union, due to take place on 1 January 2007.

On 19 March 2005, referring to the forthcoming signing of Romania’s Treaty of Accession to the European Union, the daily newspaper La Libre Belgique takes a critical look at the reforms undertaken in the country.

On 6 June 2005, commenting on the negative outcome of the referenda held in France and the Netherlands on the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, Mircea Vasilescu, Editor-in-Chief of the Romanian weekly newspaper Dilema Veche, deplores the persistence of differences in Europe between East and West.

Le 10 mai 2006, une semaine avant la présentation par la Commission européenne du rapport de suivi sur le degré de préparation de la Bulgarie et de la Roumanie pour l'adhésion à l'Union européenne, le journal économique et financier allemand Handelsblatt décrit l'optimisme de la classe politique roumaine par rapport à l'état d'avancement des réformes engagées dans le pays pour l'adhésion fixée au 1er janvier 2007.

On 15 September 2006, the German weekly newspaper Rheinischer Merkur comments on the slow realisation in Romania of the earlier activities of the ‘Securitate’, the secret police run by the Communist regime until 1989.

On 20 June 2005, the French daily newspaper Le Figaro outlines the prevailing view in Bulgaria on accession to the European Union despite the political crisis triggered by the negative outcome of the referenda held in France and the Netherlands on the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe.

On 5 July, the French daily newspaper Libération describes the attitude of the Bulgarian people towards the possibility of their country’s accession to the European Union being postponed.

On 6 July 2005, the French daily newspaper Le Monde comments on the rise of Euroscepticism in Bulgaria and Romania following the political crisis caused by the negative outcome of the referenda held in France and the Netherlands on the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe.