European Union Begins Accession of Ukraine and Moldova

The breakthrough followed last week after all EU countries gave the green light to opening the first chapter. This cluster focuses on topics such as the rule of law, democratic standards, fundamental rights, and the functioning of institutions. These topics form the foundation for the further accession process of new EU countries.

Already Busy With It

The progress of these two countries had been blocked for over two years by Hungary, but behind the scenes, diplomatic and official-level negotiations have been fully underway regarding the six major chapters that must be agreed upon. In informal talks, some negotiators say that consensus has been reached on most points, except for the two biggest sticking points: agricultural policy and the financial section.

Hungarian Obstacle

The new Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar said he has reached an agreement with Ukraine about the position of the Hungarian minority in the Zakarpattia region. This removed a key obstacle that had delayed negotiations for a long time. The issue had caused years of tension between the two countries.

Referendum?

At the same time, the Hungarian Prime Minister emphasized that opening the first cluster does not mean the discussion about a future EU membership is fully completed. According to him, the accession process will still involve many further steps. Magyar also left open the possibility that Hungary might hold a referendum on Ukraine's final admission to the European Union, ‘after all negotiations in the coming years’ have been concluded. 

As Soon As Possible

However, because most EU countries want the accession of Ukraine and Moldova ‘as quickly as possible and responsibly’, next week in Brussels and Strasbourg, approval and endorsement are expected from the Foreign Ministers and the European Parliament.