BRUSSELS, March 30 (Xinhuanet) -- Bulgaria and Romania won the nod from the European Parliament's foreign relations committee for their accession to the European Union (EU) on Jan. 1, 2007, following a vote by the committee here on Wednesday.

    The vote cleared the way for the plenary session of the European Parliament to give the green light on April 13.

    The two countries are expected to sign the entry treaties on April 25.

    Romania and Bulgaria, with a combined population of 30 million, aim to join the EU in January 2007, expanding the bloc to 27 nations and to the Black Sea. Enditem