Fast-track to the EU? Von der Leyen presents Ukraine report
Corruption at the highest level, deficits in the rule of law and dubious treatment of national minorities: At the beginning of 2022, it still seemed unthinkable that Ukraine could become a serious candidate for EU membership in the foreseeable future.
A good 20 months after the start of the Russian war of aggression against the Eastern European country, the world is a different place. After Ukraine was granted candidate status back in June 2022, the European Commission is today presenting an eagerly awaited report on the country's latest progress on its path to joining the European Union.
What exactly is it about?
When the EU states granted Ukraine candidate status last year, they also agreed that it could only take the next step in the accession process once it had fulfilled seven reform requirements. Ursula von der Leyen's EU Commission report now assesses how far Ukraine has come with the reforms so far.
What would be the next step in the accession process?
That would be the opening of accession negotiations. These negotiations ensure that an applicant country adopts all EU legislation into national law.
What reforms are a prerequisite for the start of negotiations?
Among other things, the EU is demanding that the Ukraine steps up the fight against corruption, complies with standards in the fight against money laundering and passes a law against the excessive influence of oligarchs. Other issues include freedom of the media and the protection of national minorities.
Is it already clear what the Commission's assessment will be?
According to the German Press Agency, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will present a positive assessment of the country's reform progress and officially recommend to the governments of the EU member states that accession negotiations be opened.
According to the report, the EU Commission assumes that Ukraine will be able to complete outstanding reform steps within a short period of time and that there is no reason to postpone the fundamental decision on the start of accession negotiations. The approval of the EU heads of state and government could therefore be given at the EU summit on December 14 and 15, as hoped for by the government in Kiev.
In order to ensure that Ukraine also checks off the conditions that have not yet been fulfilled, it would then presumably be agreed to make further necessary decisions for the negotiations dependent on this. The formal start of negotiations as part of the first accession conference could therefore still be a long time coming.
In which areas are there still deficits?
During a visit to Kiev at the weekend, von der Leyen called for an even stronger fight against corruption and the adoption of the new law on lobbying activities. She also called for stricter regulations on the declaration of assets and the full implementation of recommendations for the protection of national minorities.
The latter point is important to the EU country Hungary, for example. In the past, for example, the government in Budapest was of the opinion that Ukraine was violating the rights of the Hungarian ethnic minority in the Transcarpathian region - for example through an education law that only allows school lessons in the languages of the minorities to a limited extent.
If Ukraine fails to deliver on the reforms, it risks vetoes. All relevant decisions on the accession process require unanimity among the EU member states.
Why are the Commission and Kiev pushing ahead with accession?
Both sides want to show the more than 40 million Ukrainians that they have the prospect of becoming EU citizens. The start of accession negotiations could also be a further sign that it is worth fighting for freedom and democracy. "You are not only fighting for your own freedom, democracy and future, but also for ours," said von der Leyen recently, addressing the Ukrainian people.
How long will it take from the start of accession talks to EU accession?
Nobody can predict that. Turkey, for example, became an EU candidate in 1999 - and has probably never been further away from membership than it is today. Theoretically, a candidate country can never become a member.
What role does Russia's war play in Ukraine's EU path?
Presumably a double-edged one. On the one hand, Ukraine would probably never have been granted candidate status so quickly without the war. On the other hand, the war is likely to make the necessary adjustment processes more difficult. In addition, it is considered impossible for Ukraine to become an EU member state before the end of the war. This is because Kiev could then request military assistance from other EU states in accordance with Article 42, paragraph 7 of the EU Treaty - the EU would officially be a party to the war.
The European Commission's report, presented by Ursula von der Leyen, assesses Ukraine's progress towards EU membership, focusing on the seven reform requirements agreed upon after granting candidate status. If the report is positive, as expected, the EU heads of state and government could officially initiate accession negotiations at the December EU summit. However, Ukraine still needs to address lingering issues, such as fight against corruption, compliance with money laundering standards, and passing a law against oligarch influence, as well as fulfilling conditions related to freedom of the media and national minority protection.
Source: www.dpa.com
