Safeguard Clauses Expire as Bulgaria Marks 3 Years as EU Member

Bulgaria's PM Borisov (left) meets EC President Barroso (right) in Brussels in September 2009. Photo by BGNES

Bulgaria is marking January 1, 2010, three years since it became an EU member on the same day in 2007.

Thus, the possibility of having some of the so called safeguard clauses imposed on the country by the EU expires on Thursday, December 31, 2009.

Bulgaria’s EU Accession Treaty stipulated that in the first three years of Bulgaria’s EU membership – in order to preserve EU’s interests – safeguard clauses could be activated in three areas – economy (general), internal market, and justice and home affairs. A special monitoring mechanism has been in place in order to observe the country’s progress in those fields.

Turning three years as EU member, Bulgaria will no longer be facing safeguard clauses. It can only face infringement procedures like the rest of the member states.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!