Ukraine: European Commission hails substantial progress on key reforms and recommends launching accession talks
The European Commission today recommended that the Council open accession negotiations with Ukraine, saying the country had made substantial progress on addressing seven key reforms. The Commission said last year’s decision to grant Ukraine EU candidate status had created a powerful reform dynamic, despite the ongoing war, with strong support from the people of Ukraine.
“The Ukrainian government and Parliament demonstrated resolve in making substantial progress on meeting the seven steps of the European Commission Opinion on Ukraine’s EU membership application,” the Commission said in a press release today.
“In light of the results achieved since June 2022 under the political criteria, within the framework of the seven steps and beyond, the Commission considers that Ukraine sufficiently fulfils the criteria related to the stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities…, provided it continues its reform efforts and addresses the remaining requirements under the seven steps. On this basis, the Commission recommends that the Council opens accession negotiations with Ukraine,” the Commission said in its 2023 Communication on Enlargement Policy published today.
The report on Ukraine’s progress found that the country had established a transparent pre-selection system for the Constitutional Court judges and had reformed the judicial governance bodies. It added Ukraine had further developed its track record of high-level corruption investigations and convictions and strengthened its institutional framework, and that it had taken positive steps in a wider and systemic effort to address the influence of oligarchs. “The country has also demonstrated its capacity to make progress in aligning with the EU acquis, even during wartime,” the EC said.
The European Commission recommended that the Council adopt the negotiating framework once Ukraine satisfied remaining conditions related to stepping up the fight against corruption, adopting a law on lobbying in line with EU standards and strengthening national minority safeguards.
“Ukraine has to continue to fight against corruption by building a further track record of corruption investigations and convictions,” it added.
The Commission will continuously monitor the progress and compliance in all areas related to the opening of negotiations and report to the Council by March 2024.
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