Romania has concluded the accession negotiations with the European Union on 14 December 2004.

The European Council noted the closure of negotiations on 17 December 2004 and called for the finalisation of the Accession Treaty with Romania (and Bulgaria). The Treaty was signed on 25 April 2005 and, since then, Romania has an observer status in the Council and its preparatory bodies and participates in the process of drafting the communitarian legislation. The signature of the Treaty was followed by the process of its ratification by the Member States. 

The Czech Republic finalized the ratification process of the Accession Treaty on 2 February 2006, when President Vaclav Klaus signed the ratification instrument. The ratification law had been approved by the Parliament of the Czech Republic on 6 December 2005.

Romania is expected to become member of the European Union on 1 January 2007.