ABSTRACT THE INTEGRATION PROCESS OF ROMANIA INTO THE EU: 1989 &ndash / 2007 Dogan, Basak Master of Science, Department of European Studies Supervisor : Assist. Prof. Dr. Oktay F. Tanrisever October 2007, 97 pages This thesis examines the political and socio economic transformation of Romania during its integration process into the European Union (EU) between 1989-2007. The thesis also explores the impact of the communist heritage on Romania&rsquo / s relations with the EU in the post-Communist period. The main objective of the thesis is to examine why EU rushed to accept Romania as a full member although Romania didnot fulfil all of the membership requirements of the EU until 2007. The main argument of this thesis is that the EU accepted Romania as a full member despite Romania&rsquo / s inability to meet all of the membership requirements of the EU can be explained EU&rsquo / s expectation that it would be easier to eradicate Romania&rsquo / s Communist heritage after Romania&rsquo / s EU membership. The thesis has six chapters, including Introduction and Conclusion chapters. Thesecond chapter explores the historical background of Romania. The third chapter examines Romania&rsquo / s EU integration process between 1989 and 1999 The fourth chapter analyzes Romania&rsquo / s negotiation process with the EU between 2000 and 2004. The fifth chapter discusses the EU&rsquo / s evaluation of the Romania&rsquo / s progress after the completion of Romania&rsquo / s negotiations with the EU. Keywords: Romania, EU, Conditionality, Negotiation, Post-Communist Transition