Commission Report 2002 (Romania)

2.1. Introduction

``Romania has made considerable progress in the creation of a market economy''; it ``would face serious difficulties coping with the competitive pressure and market forces within the Union in the medium term''.

In its 2001 Regular Report, the Commission found that:

``Romania has made progress towards establishing a functioning market economy and although it would not, in the medium term, be able to cope with competitive pressure and market forces within the Union, it has taken measures that would allow to develop its future capacity, provided that it keeps to the engaged economic reform path''.

In examining economic developments in Romania since the Opinion, the Commission`s approach was guided by the June 1993 conclusions of the Copenhagen European Council, which stated that membership of the Union requires:

• the existence of a functioning market economy;
• the capacity to cope with competitive pressure and market forces within the Union.

In the analysis below, the Commission has followed the methodology applied in the Opinion and the previous annual Regular Reports. The analysis in this year`s Regular Report takes stock of developments since the Opinion was drafted.