EU ambassadors clear path for Ukraine to open two new accession clusters

BRUSSELS, Belgium — EU ambassadors on Oct. 7 took the next step in advancing Ukraine and Moldova's push for membership, paving the way for the opening of two so-called enlargement clusters next week.

Candidate countries for EU membership have to align with the bloc by completing reforms, split into six so-called clusters.

Ambassadors agreed on Oct. 7 to take the next step on the two largest clusters, internal market and competitiveness, which address broad parts of the economy.

The decision also applied to Moldova because the EU politically linked the two countries' accession efforts.

In practice, that means Chisinau has had to wait as Hungary stalled Ukraine's EU bid until the country strengthens the rights of its Hungarian-speaking minority.

Budapest and Kyiv reached a political deal on minority rights in early summer, which led to the opening of the first two clusters in June and July, on the rule of law and external relations, respectively.

But progress stalled again as Hungary demanded that Ukraine adopt a law implementing changes to education for national minorities as outlined in the summer agreement.

The bill was submitted to the parliament on Oct. 2, which was enough to allow EU ambassadors to proceed, but between then and now, much remains to be done.

Ukraine first needs to submit a written negotiating position to the EU, which is understood to be already ready.

Then an EU working group of technical experts from the 27 countries needs to agree on the bloc's common position, which must, in turn, be adopted by ambassadors and ministers from the 27 EU countries.

And if Ukraine's parliament fails to pass the minorities law on Oct. 12, then the formal meeting to open the clusters the day after will not be allowed to take place.

But assuming all goes as planned, the EU should open the next two negotiation clusters with Ukraine and Moldova at the Intergovernmental Conference in Luxembourg on Oct. 13.

The amount of bureaucracy involved has prompted the European Commission to propose paring back some of that paperwork.

"Based on the treaties, we need two unanimity decisions, giving candidate status, and finishing," said the EU's Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos in a discussion with European Parliament members on Oct. 7.

"But now, in between, we have 150 steps also for sending a letter to a candidate country," the commissioner fumed.

Assuming all goes as planned, opening the two clusters could help Ukraine benefit from the European Commission's new "gradual integration" idea pitched on Oct. 6.

This would mean that as Ukraine completes reforms, it should already begin to enjoy some EU benefits, and a senior EU official told the Kyiv Independent that progress on the internal market cluster is critical because it addresses "economic security and critical infrastructure."