Negotiations on Chapter 24 – Justice and Home Affairs (JHA)

On 15 February 2000, the process of negotiation for EU accession started.
On 30 November 2001, the Romanian Government transmitted to the Accession Conference Romania – European Union, the Position Paper on Chapter 24- Justice and Home Affaires, which had as an annex The Schengen Action Plan.


In the context of the negotiations on Chapter 24 – JHA, the EU member states invited all the candidates states, including Romania, to present an action plan for the application of the preliminary criteria for the participation to the Schengen Area

	The Schengen Action Plan was monitored and annually updated, so that at the established date for EU accession – 1st of January 2007 -  Romania could fulfill the minimum criteria towards the implementation of the Convention, signed at Schengen, on 19 June 1990 for implementing the Schengen Agreement regarding the gradual elimination of the checks at the internal borders. (Schengen Convention).

On 8 February 2002, in Bruxelles, technical consultation regarding the Position Paper forwarded by Romania, took place. Our country transmitted to the Accession Conference supplementary specifications.
On 19 April 2002, during the Conference of Accession, Romania – European Union, in Bruxelles, the opening of negotiations on Chapter 24 – JHA started.

The European Commission transmitted to Romania the Common Position regarding the Position Paper for Chapter 24 which contains an evaluation of the situation in Romania concerning the taking over of the acquis in the JHA field and some observations and requests addressed to Romanian authorities.

	The Schengen Acquis was fully accepted and no transition periods or derogations were requested.

The process of drafting the Complementary Position Paper on Chapter 24 – Justice and Home Affairs – started on 31 May 2002. On 18 July 2002, the reunion of the National Delegation at the level of Secretary of State, took place, were the draft of the Complementary Position Paper was accepted..
December 2004 – Closing the negotiations for accession (the closure of 24 Chapter- JHA), confirming in the same time, at the European Council in  Bruxelles, the accession calendar.