Ukraine’s government names further steps for EU membership negotiations

Olha Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, has said that Ukraine aims to hold the first intergovernmental conference in March 2024, where the so-called negotiation framework of the parties should be approved. 

Source: Stefanishyna in a column for European Pravda

Details: Stefanishyna noted that the European Commission indicated several steps that Kyiv should take before the next stage of accession: the approval of the framework of EU negotiations with Ukraine, in particular in the field of combating corruption, lobbying and national minorities. 

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Quote: “Some draft laws have already been registered in the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament). Despite the fact that they appeared as additional measures only a few months ago, we are ready to fulfil these requirements. We are moving according to the schedule,” the deputy prime minister emphasised.

As Stefanishyna said, Ukraine’s goal is to hold the first intergovernmental conference on membership in March 2024, where the negotiating framework should be approved. 

Quote: “We conducted self-screening (self-checking – ed.) of the legislation. And this means that this stage will not last for years, as in other countries,” she believes. 

The official added that, on the basis of self-screening, the government of Ukraine is already preparing the National Programme for the Adaptation of Legislation to EU Law, which will integrate the conclusions from the European Commission’s report.

Quote: “In fact, we have already created an accelerated procedure for joining the EU; it is called the Ukrainian path. This does not mean that Ukraine requires adjustments or special treatment, in particular, because of the war. We are moving in accordance with all the procedures provided for by EU rules, but we set the speed, pace and dynamics,” Stefanishyna emphasised. 

Background:

In the report published on 8 November, the European Commission recommended starting accession negotiations with Kyiv, but before that, Ukraine must implement some of the reforms that have not yet been implemented. 

At the same time, the European Commission proposes to carry out the procedure for Ukraine’s accession to the EU under a new procedure, which provides for the preparation of technical issues of accession negotiations in parallel with political ones. 

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