EU and Ukraine agree roadmap for rule-of-law and democracy reforms
The European Commission and Ukraine agreed to accelerate work on benchmarks covering democracy and the rule of law, identifying concrete reform steps and a roadmap for completion in the first half of 2027. The agreement followed a high-level EU–Ukraine working-group meeting in Brussels on November 15.
Key points
- The EU–Ukraine high-level working group met in Brussels on November 15.
- Marta Kos and Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi co-chaired the meeting.
- Verkhovna Rada head Ruslan Stefanchuk also joined the session.
- The parties agreed on concrete reform steps and a roadmap targeting the first half of 2027.
- The benchmarks cover democracy and the rule of law under accession chapters 23 and 24.
- Ukraine plans to open the remaining two negotiating clusters by the end of 2026.
- Hungary has refused to approve the screening results for the fourth and fifth clusters.
Why it matters
The benchmarks on democracy and the rule of law determine the pace of Ukraine's EU accession talks and must be met before the country can advance to closing individual negotiating chapters. The agreed roadmap sets concrete steps and a first-half 2027 target, while Ukraine could potentially close seven chapters by the end of 2027 if it completes the required reforms.
What happened
The European Commission and Ukraine activated their work on the accession benchmarks covering democracy and the rule of law. At the November 15 meeting of the high-level working group in Brussels, the parties agreed on specific reform steps, a list of reforms and a roadmap aimed at meeting the relevant intermediate criteria in the first half of 2027. European Commissioner Marta Kos and Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi co-chaired the meeting, while Verkhovna Rada head Ruslan Stefanchuk joined the session. Ukraine also expects the remaining two negotiating clusters to open by the end of 2026. Separately, Hungary has refused to approve the screening results for the fourth and fifth clusters.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian reporting focuses on the concrete reform steps, the roadmap and Parliament's participation, alongside Ukraine's goal of meeting the benchmarks in the first half of 2027. It also highlights legislative progress: the Verkhovna Rada backed 12 bills during two plenary weeks, with four adopted in full and eight passed in first reading. Significant attention is given to Hungary's blocking position and expectations that the remaining negotiating clusters could open.
Where reporting differs
The preliminary communiqué described Ukraine's reforms as continuing at a slow pace, but the final version omitted any reference to a slowdown. Ukrainian outlets differed in how they reported this change.
Background
The benchmarks concern chapters 23 and 24, which cover democracy and the rule of law. The high-level EU–Ukraine working group was created in October to help Ukraine meet the intermediate criteria. The EU opened its second and third negotiating clusters on October 13 after Ukraine adopted amendments to its education law in both readings and as a whole. Hungary had withdrawn its veto on those clusters on October 7. On October 27, however, Hungary declined to approve the screening results for the fourth cluster, covering transport, energy, trans-European networks, the environment and climate change, and the fifth cluster, covering agriculture, fisheries, regional policy and budget matters.