In its interim European Commission report, the EC would invite Bulgaria and Romania to take more serious measures, but sanctions would not be imposed, unnamed sources at the EC told Reuters and Bulgarian news agency BTA, as quoted by Dnevnik daily.

The interim report was scheduled to be published on February 4 and would cover reforms in the judiciary and interior ministry in Bulgaria and Romania.

The report would outline shortcomings, but not propose any sanctions, the news agencies quoted the source as saying.

If the two countries were not considered to have reached sufficient progress in their fight against corruption and organised crime, the EU member states could refuse to recognise decisions by the Bulgarian and Romanian courts, Dnevnik daily said.

According to unnamed international organisations quoted by Reuters, Bulgaria and Romania have the highest levels of corruption of all member states, which had been a reason for diplomats to be against their quick accession to the EU.