Hungary still blocks opening of Ukraine's EU accession negotiating clusters 4 and 5

Hungary refused to approve the screening results for negotiating clusters 4 and 5 within the framework of Ukraine's EU accession negotiations during a meeting of the Working Party on Enlargement and Countries Negotiating Accession to the EU (COELA) in Brussels on Tuesday 27 October.

Source: European Pravda, citing EU diplomats familiar with the course of the meeting

Details: European Pravda noted that Hungary has not yet supported the further advancement of the process to open the final two clusters 4 and 5 in accession negotiations with Ukraine. One of the diplomats said that Hungary's position has not changed.

According to sources, the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU was aware in advance that Hungary had no intention of altering its stance regarding Ukraine's further progress towards opening these two clusters.

Despite this, the issue was again included on the working group's agenda for 27 October.

Another diplomat expressed the view that bringing the matter up for re-discussion was more political in nature and served as a means to increase pressure on Budapest, rather than representing a real attempt to secure a positive decision at this specific meeting.

Cluster 4, Green Agenda and Sustainable Connectivity, covers transport, energy, trans-European networks, the environment and climate change. Cluster 5, Resources, Agriculture and Cohesion Policy, includes agriculture, fisheries, regional policy and budgetary provisions.

These are the final two negotiating clusters that have not yet been opened for Ukraine. The Ukrainian authorities are counting on their opening by the end of 2026.

Read more: Hungary's veto is no more. Now Ukraine must catch up with Moldova in the race to join EU

Background:

• On 20 October, European Pravda reported Hungary's refusal to approve the screening results for clusters 4 and 5, which is a necessary procedural step for their opening.
• On 13 October, the EU officially opened two more clusters in accession negotiations with Ukraine: Cluster 2, Internal Market, and Cluster 3, Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth. To make this possible, the Ukrainian parliament approved amendments to the law on education to lift Hungary's veto.
• German Ambassador to Ukraine Boris Ruge in an interview with European Pravda rejected the notion that Ukraine's accession to the EU is impossible while the war continues.

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