Ukraine is now able to advance to the next stage of accession talks with the European Union. EU member state ambassadors have paved the way for negotiations on the single market and competitiveness clusters, which had been blocked by Hungary since the summer. Budapest dropped its opposition following an agreement on the rights of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine.
Once these new negotiating clusters are formally opened, Ukraine will have just two out of six clusters left unopened.
Hungary Relents After Minority Rights Deal
Budapest had blocked the opening of further sections of Ukraine’s accession negotiations, demanding changes concerning the rights of national minorities, mainly focused on education.
According to EU diplomats cited by sources, the situation changed after a deal to give the Hungarian-speaking community and other minorities more scope to use their own language in education.
The Ukrainian parliament is scheduled to vote on the relevant legislation next Monday.
There are approximately 80,000 ethnic Hungarians living in the Transcarpathia region in western Ukraine.
As reported by Aktualizovane.sk in June, the EU began accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova following a shift in Hungary’s position.
Focus on Single Market and Competitiveness
The latest development concerns two thematic groupings of accession chapters.
One is focused on the EU internal market, and the other on competitiveness and economic rules.
Diplomats expect that EU ministers responsible for European affairs will address the issue next week in Luxembourg.
On the sidelines of the negotiations, an intergovernmental conference with Ukraine and Moldova could take place, at which the clusters would be formally opened.
Only Two Negotiation Clusters Left for Ukraine
The EU already opened the first and sixth negotiating clusters in June and July.
If the next two are opened, Kyiv will be in active talks on four out of six main thematic areas.
However, this does not mean automatic or immediate membership.
Ukraine must gradually align its legislation with EU rules and meet conditions in the areas of rule of law, the economy, public administration, and others.
Aktualizovane.sk has previously explained that although Ukraine is already engaged in concrete accession negotiations, actual membership depends on meeting numerous conditions.
Kyiv Welcomes Budapest’s Policy Shift
Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha welcomed the unblocking of further progress.
According to his statement, Ukraine and Hungary are gradually moving toward an agreement, and Kyiv continues on its path to the EU.
This reflects the political assessment of the Ukrainian minister.
The Hungarian side previously justified its veto by citing the need to protect the rights of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine.
Brussels Also Plans Stricter Safeguards
The EU enlargement process may change in the future for all candidate countries.
According to a source, the European Commission has put forward a proposal under which new member states would be subject to up to a 15-year period of heightened scrutiny after joining.
In the event of particularly serious violations of EU values or the principle of loyal cooperation, some rights of a new member state could even be suspended.
At this stage, the proposal is only an idea under discussion, not an automatically valid rule.
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This article was translated from the original Slovak version with the assistance of AI.
