The European Commission warned Monday it may delay Romania's scheduled January 2007 accession to the European Union if it fails to make concrete reforms required for entry.

"The European Commission won't hesitate to recommend a delay for the admission of Romania if it does not fulfill the conditions" of entry, European Enlargement Commissioner Oilli Rehn told a group of students from the Economics Academy of Bucharest.

"Romania must do its best to fulfill the criteria for adhesion to the EU in January 2007. Each day, each month, each year counts," Rehn added.

"The European Commission is going to help you, but that depends on you taking the measures necessary in order to convince the member states of the EU that you are ready to join the big European family."

Rehn emphasised that Brussels was closely watching the Romanian preparations and hoped to see "some concrete results and progress", especially in the reform of the justicial system and local administration, competition and the fight against corruption.

Romania would receive more than one billion euros from EU funds from now until 2007, which would require the establishment of "a solid financial system to properly manage these funds," Rehn said.

The European Commission on February 22 approved the accession bids by Romania and Bulgaria to enter the EU on January 1, 2007.

The commission's decision, after accession negotiations at an EU summit in December, was expected to be followed by the approval of the Strasbourg-based European Parliament, due on April 13.

Any delay in the date set for Romania and Bulgaria to join the EU must be approved unanimously by all EU member states, based on a recommendation from the commission.