On 17 March, Ukraine informally opened three more negotiation clusters within the European Union accession process. In Brussels, a Ukrainian delegation headed by the chief negotiator, Deputy Prime Minister Taras Duck, received from the European Commission a list of conditions – so-called benchmarks – for their further closure, Radio Liberty’s correspondent reported.
European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said that from now on all six negotiation clusters in the process of Ukraine’s accession to the EU are open at the technical level.
According to her, the technical work allows for explanatory meetings, defining reform requirements and actually moving the negotiations forward, even without a formal political decision to open the negotiating chapters.
“This step is really revolutionary in a very European sense. It is in line with the current enlargement methodology, but it is also in line with the current reality in which we cannot lose a single day on Ukraine’s path to European Union membership. This is our common interest, given the way the world is developing and how aggression and war are spreading all over the planet,” Taras Kachka said.
These are clusters covering competitiveness and inclusive growth, green policies and sustainable connectivity, as well as agriculture and Cohesion Policy.
“Cluster 3 reforms will bring more jobs, better business conditions and more investment into the Ukrainian economy. Cluster 4 reforms mean cleaner energy, more reliable electricity supply, and better roads, rail links and border infrastructure. Cluster 5 reforms mean stronger agriculture, better support for rural communities and smarter use of land and water,” Kos said.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko said that the document with conditions received today the government will immediately send to the Verkhovna Rada “to work together on their implementation”.
The EU accession negotiations are divided into six thematic clusters, combining 35 negotiating chapters of EU legislation. The formal opening or closing of each cluster requires the unanimous consent of all EU member states.
Now the process of formal opening of the negotiating clusters on Ukraine is blocked by Hungary, which does not agree to the relevant decision of the EU Council. Therefore, the negotiations are progressing in the format of technical preparations and agreeing on reforms to be implemented by the Ukrainian side, so that all clusters can be quickly officially opened and closed later.
Ukraine has the official status of a candidate for EU accession since June 2022.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that a clear date for Ukraine’s accession to the EU, which is considered part of security guarantees, is an important part of a potential peace settlement with Russia. Otherwise, he said, the Russian president would try to stop the process of Ukraine’s accession to the EU.