Brussels to push January accession for Bulgaria and Romania

The European Commission is to recommend that Bulgaria and Romania enter the EU as planned in January 2007, but the countries will be placed under the toughest-ever safeguard regime, according to the Financial Times.

A senior commission official told the paper that Brussels has decided not to make use of a clause which would see Sofia and Bucharest become a member only one year later – despite particular disappointment over Bulgaria's efforts to fight organized crime and corruption.