The European Commission officially recommends starting the process of negotiations on Ukraine and Moldova's accession to the European Union, EC President Ursula von der Leyen has said.
She noted that Ukraine is making efforts on the path of reforms. The next assessment of its progress will be made in March 2024.
"We have adopted our Enlargement Package for 2023, which recommends starting negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, granting candidate status to Georgia, and starting accession talks with Bosnia and Herzegovina when the required level of compliance is reached," the European Commission said.
Ursula von der Leyen said that Ukraine still needs to work on certain reforms, including fight against corruption.
According to Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, the European Commission's recommendation is key for EU leaders to make a political decision in December this year to start negotiations with Ukraine.
"According to the report, we have implemented 90% of the reforms that were envisaged in the status of a candidate for membership," he said.
Yesterday, Radio Liberty reported that the EC considers four of the seven requirements to Ukraine to be met in full: the introduction of legislation on the procedure for selecting judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine in accordance with the recommendations of the Venice Commission, the completion of the integrity check of candidates for the High Council of Justice and the creation of the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine, the compliance of anti-money laundering legislation with FATF standards and the approval of a strategic plan for reforming the entire law enforcement sector, and the reform of the media sector - bringing Ukrainian media in line with the EU standards.
However, work remains to be done on fighting corruption, legislation on national minorities and reducing the influence of oligarchs.
Ukraine was granted EU candidate status in June 2022, and with it came seven requirements that must be met to start accession negotiations.