The European Commission has recommended that Romanian
citizens should be able to travel to the European Union without visas starting from next year.
"In the Commission's view, the advantages of visa-exemption for Romanian citizens clearly outweigh the disadvantage of a possible increase of illegal residents from Romania in the member states," the Commission said in a statement.
The Commission made the recommendation to EU member-states after finding that Romania had taken sufficient steps to combat illegal immigration.
The lifting of the visa requirement from January 1, 2002, would depend on Romania fulfilling a number of other commitments in the immigration area, the Commission said.
EU member states must take the final decision. Romania is the only candidate country still facing visa restrictions for entry into the EU's Schengen zone. Neighbouring Bulgaria was exempted from the restrictions earlier this year.
In its report to member states, the Commission noted that Romania had recently adopted legislation in the immigration area, such as a new aliens law, and improved practices on border controls and visa issuance.
Romania had taken measures, such as reorganising its border police and improving handling of visa applications, to avoid being used as a transit country by illegal immigrants to the EU.