The IT markets of EU newcomers Bulgaria and Romania are the next to draw substantial advantages from the country's accession to the Union, but not before due preparation, Scott Moore, a senior consultant at the Hungarian office of the analytical company IDC, said.

“The total benefit the IT sector [of the 10 countries to join the EU in 2004] reaped until the end of 2006 amounted to $27 billion,” Moore said.

He said the IT spending stemming directly from EU10's membership hovers in the 8.2 to 8.4 billion US dollar range.

The sectors to prove the top beneficiaries of IT upgrades with EU funds were the public sector, SMEs, education, telecoms, healthcare and utilities, according to Moore.

Still, the main stumbling blocks are bureaucracy, improper preparation of applications, as well as inability of applicants to find sources of own financing for the projects.

Nelly Vacheva, managing director of IDC Bulgaria, said that with the latest EU newcomers, Bulgaria and Romania, spending dynamics and IT markets would be similar.

Bulgaria’s IT spending this year is estimated to grow by 40.1 per cent year-on-year in 2007, as compared to 3.5 per cent the year before, according to Vacheva. She said that the bulk of the spending increase should be attributed to corporate and public alignment to EU standards.