The European Union told Bulgaria and Romania today they can join the bloc in 2007 if they pass a final review in early October of their progress in fighting crime and improving state administration.
The European Commission delayed a final recommendation on the two Balkan states' entry date into the 25-nation EU, saying it could still be deferred to 2008.
In a separate decision, the EU executive gave a green light for Slovenia to become the 13th member of the euro zone next January - the first east European newcomer to join the single currency - but it rejected Lithuania's euro bid.
Criticism of Bulgaria in the progress report was more severe and focused on corruption, organised crime and money laundering; Romania was mainly chided for technical shortcomings.
Diplomats and analysts say powerful crime barons control large parts of the Bulgarian economy and are behind more than 150 unsolved Mafia-style assassinations this decade.
Criticisms of Romania focused on the absence of EU-compatible computer systems for tax collection, poor food hygiene standards and a failure to set up agencies for paying the bloc's massive regional and farm aid.
The accession treaty, which Bulgaria and Romania signed last year, gives the EU the possibility of delaying their accession until 2008 if they are deemed unprepared.
But a senior EU diplomat said delaying either country to 2008, which would require a unanimous decision of the 25 member states, seemed very unlikely and that the report was mainly intended to keep up reform pressure until the last minute.