Hungary expected to approve progress on Ukraine's EU accession clusters 2 and 3

The EU Council's Working Party on Enlargement and Countries Negotiating Accession to the EU (COELA) will once again consider the documents relating to clusters 2 and 3 of Ukraine's EU accession negotiations on 7 October, with Hungary not expected to block their approval.

Source: an EU source familiar with preparations for the meeting, in a comment to European Pravda

Details: The EU expects Budapest to agree today to further progress for Ukraine on cluster 2, Internal Market, and cluster 3, Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth.

"The COELA meeting will take place on the morning of 7 October. The screening results for clusters 2 and 3 for Ukraine are expected to be approved," the source told European Pravda.

The meeting is due to begin at 11:00 Kyiv time. Ukraine and Moldova's progress on clusters 2 and 3 is third and fourth on the agenda, after matters relating to Albania and Montenegro are considered.

"Later that day, Coreper is expected to approve the screening reports and authorise letters to be sent to Ukraine and Moldova inviting them to submit their negotiating positions on these two clusters," the European Pravda source added. [Coreper is the committee of the permanent representatives of the governments of the member states to the European Union – ed.]

When asked whether this meant that Hungary had already sent a clear signal that it would agree to the opening of the clusters, the source replied that "it seems there will be no surprises".

Inviting Ukraine and Moldova to submit their negotiating positions is a necessary step before the negotiations can progress further. The ultimate goal is to schedule an Intergovernmental Conference for Tuesday 13 October at which the clusters would be opened.

Background:

• On 1 October, a bill on education in the languages of national minorities was registered in the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine's parliament). Its adoption is expected to help lift Hungary's veto and clear the way for two of the negotiating clusters.
• On 6 October, the European Commission adopted a package of proposals to revise EU policies ahead of future enlargements (pre-enlargement policy reviews), which would enable the European Union to admit new members, including Ukraine.
• Marta Kos, the European Commissioner for Enlargement, outlined five steps proposed by the European Commission for future EU members.

Read also: Hungary lifts its veto: what the deal means for Ukraine's EU accession

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