In its September 26 monitoring report the European Commission would probably confirm Bulgaria and Romania's EU entry on January 1 2007 but under strict conditions that have not been imposed on any previous member state.

European diplomats, quoted by Agence France-Presse said that despite negative attitude towards enlargement the EC was expected to approve the two countries' on-time accession.

Bulgaria and Romania signed an accession treaty in April 2005 giving previous EU member states the right to postpone EU entry by one year if accession criteria were not met.

In case the EC recommended January 1 2007 as the entry date, the accession of the two countries was going to be certain, AFP reported.

The two applicants could be subjected to the introduction of safeguard clauses, which would exclude them from participation in some common European policies.

Such clauses could be enforced if Bulgaria and Romania failed to implement efficient reforms in spheres like justice and home affairs, AFP reported.

The EC report was also going to list all possible measures and restrictions that could be introduced together with the EU entry of the two countries.