The European Union formally opened two more accession negotiation clusters with Ukraine on Oct. 13, advancing talks on the internal market and competitiveness after Hungary dropped its objections.
The decision was made at an EU-Ukraine accession conference in Luxembourg, where officials began negotiations on clusters two and three. The internal-market cluster covers rules on the movement of goods, services, workers and capital, as well as competition, financial services and consumer protection. The competitiveness and inclusive-growth cluster includes policy areas such as taxation, industry, digital transformation, employment, education, research and customs.
Hungary had held up the move, citing concerns about the rights of Ukraine’s Hungarian-speaking minority. The breakthrough followed Ukraine’s parliament passing amendments to expand minority-language education rights; Budapest had said such a change was needed before it would allow the talks to advance. The opening brings to four the number of Ukraine’s six accession clusters now under negotiation, following earlier openings on fundamentals and external relations.
The EU has set benchmarks for provisionally closing chapters and says it will continue monitoring Ukraine’s adoption and implementation of EU rules. Opening the clusters advances the membership process, but does not itself guarantee that Ukraine will join the bloc.