EU tells Ukraine to hasten reforms, sets out more cautious path for accession
Brussels has set out a far more ambitious membership roadmap for Moldova than it has for Ukraine.
The European Commission has drafted a more cautious roadmap for Ukraine's EU accession negotiations, setting limited targets for progress in 2027 without committing to a specific membership date, according to a document obtained by POLITICO. The Commission seeks to bolster Ukraine's future amid Russia's ongoing war, with eventual membership as a means to anchor Kyiv firmly in European institutions and deter potential Russian aggression.
The roadmap urges Kyiv to "urgently and significantly step up the pace of rule of law reforms," as meeting key requirements by mid-2027 is crucial before negotiations in individual policy areas can be provisionally concluded.
The roadmap outlines seven policy areas in which Ukraine could finish negotiations in 2027: education and culture (first half), intellectual property (second half), employment and social policy (second half), industrial policy (second half), research (second half), external relations (second half), and foreign and security policy (second half).
The Commission emphasizes that Ukraine still has significant ground to cover before joining the bloc, given the complexity of aligning its laws and institutions with EU standards across 35 negotiating areas. The roadmap acknowledges the challenges posed by the war, which exerts immense pressure on Ukraine's government and parliament in enacting the required legislation.
A notable divergence between Ukraine and Moldova is highlighted, as Moldova is now in a position to make faster progress, potentially decoupling the two countries' membership bids. While Ukraine has been negotiating with the EU since 2022, Moldova could complete negotiations in over 20 policy areas by 2027. The Commission is careful not to commit to an end date for Ukraine's accession negotiations, maintaining a flexible approach akin to other EU membership aspirants like Albania and Moldova. Montenegro is the only exception, with June 2027 targeted for signing an accession treaty.
The roadmap describes itself as a "living document" that can be updated as talks progress, allowing for earlier completion of negotiations in additional policy areas if reforms advance faster than expected. However, even if negotiations are successfully concluded in individual policy areas, Ukraine will still face further steps before achieving full membership, including an accession treaty requiring approval and ratification by member countries.
The Commission also calls for the resumption of talks on Ukraine's two stalled negotiating clusters, covering the green agenda and sustainable connectivity, and cluster 5, covering resources, agriculture, and cohesion, by the end of 2026. Opening these clusters would enable Ukraine to advance negotiations across the remaining policy areas, although the pace of subsequent progress would still depend on reforms and decisions by member countries.
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