EU enlargement commissioner declares all six clusters unofficially open for Ukraine: "We cannot afford to lose time"
As of 17 March, all six clusters within Ukraine's negotiations on accession to the European Union are unofficially open.
Source: a European Pravda journalist in Brussels, with reference to European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos
Details: The commissioner said the EU has informally opened accession negotiations with Ukraine across all six negotiating clusters.
"At a time when Europe is under pressure from both East and West, we cannot afford to lose time. And we are not. Now all six clusters are informally open," Kos said.
She stressed that "Ukraine has a real chance to move faster on reforms that improve daily life, from jobs and business to energy transport and support for rural communities".
"At the same time, we are continuing the work on the action plan for the ten reform priorities agreed in Lviv with a strong focus on the rule of law, the fight against corruption, and building strong, accountable democratic institutions," Kos noted.
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Quote: "Reforms under Cluster 3 will lead to more jobs, better conditions for businesses, and more investment in Ukraine's economy. Reforms under Cluster 4 mean cleaner energy, more reliable electricity, and better roads, rail links, and border connections. Reforms under Cluster 5 mean stronger farming, better support for rural communities, and smarter use of land and water."
Background: As part of continued talks on Ukraine's EU accession at the technical level (the frontloading mechanism), Ukraine received draft conditions from the European Commission on the morning of Tuesday 17 March in Brussels for closing clusters No. 3 Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth, No. 4 Green Agenda and Sustainable Connectivity, and No. 5 Resources, Agriculture and Cohesion Policy.
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