EU to review Ukraine's EU accession clusters 2 and 3 on 7 October
The EU Council's working group on enlargement (COELA) is set to review documents on clusters 2 and 3 of Ukraine's EU accession negotiations on Wednesday, 7 October, starting at 11:00 Kyiv time. Hungary is not expected to block the approval, and the ultimate goal is to open the clusters at an Intergovernmental Conference on 13 October.
Key points
- COELA meeting scheduled for 11:00 Kyiv time on 7 October to review clusters 2 and 3
- Cluster 2 covers Internal Market; cluster 3 covers Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth
- Advancement of clusters 2-3 for Ukraine and Moldova is the third and fourth agenda items, after Albania and Montenegro
- Hungary is not expected to block approval of the clusters
- On 6 October, the European Commission adopted pre-enlargement policy review proposals to prepare for new members including Ukraine
- Coreper is to approve the screening reports and authorise letters on negotiating positions to Ukraine and Moldova the same day
- Target: Intergovernmental Conference on 13 October to formally open the clusters
Why it matters
The advancement of clusters 2 and 3 is a key milestone in Ukraine's EU accession process and a signal of the bloc's political will. The expected absence of a Hungarian veto would mark progress after the registration in the Verkhovna Rada of a bill on education in national minority languages, intended to address Budapest's concerns. Opening the clusters at the 13 October Intergovernmental Conference would be a concrete result of years of preparatory work.
What happened
On Wednesday, 7 October, the EU Council's working group on enlargement (COELA) was due to reconvene to review documents on clusters 2 and 3 of Ukraine's EU accession negotiations. The meeting was scheduled to begin at 11:00 Kyiv time, with the advancement of clusters 2-3 for Ukraine and Moldova listed as the third and fourth items on the agenda, after issues concerning Albania and Montenegro. The planned outcome was approval of the screening reports for clusters 2 and 3 at the COELA meeting, followed the same day by Coreper's endorsement and authorisation to send Ukraine and Moldova letters regarding the presentation of their negotiating positions — a necessary step before further progress. The ultimate objective was an Intergovernmental Conference on 13 October at which the clusters would be opened. An EU source indicated that there would likely be no surprises regarding Hungary's position on opening the clusters.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian sources emphasise the domestic legislative track as the lever for unlocking the clusters: on 1 October, a bill on education in national minority languages was registered in the Verkhovna Rada, with its adoption intended to help lift Hungary's veto. Coverage also focuses on the concrete COELA agenda and timing, presenting the event from the standpoint of Ukraine's interests.
Background
The consideration of clusters 2 and 3 for Ukraine and Moldova alongside Albania and Montenegro reflects COELA's practice of grouping enlargement items. On 6 October, the European Commission adopted a package of pre-enlargement policy review proposals, designed to adapt EU policies in preparation for future members. EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos outlined five steps the Commission proposes for future EU members.