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Romania Calls Extraordinary Meeting on Schengen, Premier Says

2012-03-14 14:21:39.84 GMT

By Andra Timu

     March 14 (Bloomberg) -- Romania wants an extraordinary meeting of the European Union’s chiefs to discuss the country’s accession to the visa-free area, known as Schengen, after the Netherlands opposed entry.

     Prime Minister Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu will discuss the issue when he meets EU President Herman Van Rompuy and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso tomorrow.

     The Netherlands opposed the entry of Romania and Bulgaria into Schengen, citing a high level of corruption at their borders, even though the commission ruled they have met all technical criteria to join. The two Balkan countries, the newest and the poorest of the 27-nation EU, are looking to Schengen, which enables free travel within borders of the zone’s members, to further integrate into European norms.

     “We ask for fair treatment because such extremist behavior puts the integration process on hold,” Ungureanu told reporters in Bucharest today.

     Ungureanu said the government is analyzing the possibility of adopting a law regarding shale-gas exploitation as the country lacks sufficient regulations.

     Chevron Corp., which has exploration licenses to explore three blocks in Romania to search for unconventional oil and gas reserves, said yesterday it plans to begin shale-gas drilling in Romania later this year.

For Related News and Information:

Romanian news: NI ROMANIA <GO>

For Eastern European news: TOP EEU <GO>

Romanian economic snapshot: ESNP RO <GO> Emerging market view: EMMV <GO> Top stories from east Europe: EEUT <GO>

--Editors: James M. Gomez, Alan Crosby

To contact the reporter on this story:

Andra Timu in Bucharest at +40-21-202-3185 or atimu@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editor responsible for this story:

James M. Gomez at +420-22442-2103 or

jagomez@bloomberg.net