{"id":371980,"date":"2024-06-21T16:00:42","date_gmt":"2024-06-21T14:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.eunews.it\/2024\/06\/21\/adesione-ue-ucraina-moldova-ok-negoziati\/"},"modified":"2024-06-26T13:23:46","modified_gmt":"2024-06-26T11:23:46","slug":"eu-ministers-approve-ukraine-and-moldova-accession-negotiating-frameworks-starting-june-25","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eunews.it\/en\/2024\/06\/21\/eu-ministers-approve-ukraine-and-moldova-accession-negotiating-frameworks-starting-june-25\/","title":{"rendered":"EU ministers approve Ukraine and Moldova accession negotiating frameworks starting June 25"},"content":{"rendered":"

Brussels – With no unwelcome last-second surprises for Ukraine and Moldova, the EU accession process can now formally begin. At the Economic and Financial Affairs (ECOFIN) Council meeting today (June 21), the 27 EU ministers voted in favour of opening negotiations with Kyiv and Chi\u0219in\u0103u<\/strong>, approving without discussion the item on the agenda regarding the negotiating frameworks for the two candidate countries, which from next Tuesday (June 25) will enter another box on the road that should lead them to become members of the European Union.<\/p>\n

\"Charles<\/a>
From left: European Council President Charles Michel, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, and Moldova’s President Maia Sandu<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“The Council of the European Union adopted the EU’s general positions, including negotiating frameworks, for the accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova,” communicated<\/a> the Belgian rotating presidency minutes before the start of ECOFIN. This marks the start of the organization of the first Intergovernmental Conferences with Ukraine and Moldova on June 25<\/strong>\u2014the first<\/a> between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., the second <\/a>between 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., both followed by press conferences\u2014in Luxembourg, at the end of the General Affairs Council<\/strong>. The Council reports that, during the two ministerial meetings, the respective general negotiating frameworks will be presented, “setting out the guidelines and principles for the accession negotiations.”\u00a0There is an air of great satisfaction in both Kyiv and Chi\u0219in\u0103u. “Ukraine is returning to Europe, where it has belonged for centuries<\/strong>, as a full member of the European community,” rejoiced<\/a> the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky<\/strong>, to which his Moldovan counterpart, Maia Sandu<\/strong>, echoed: “Becoming a member of the EU is our path to peace, prosperity, and a better life<\/strong> for all citizens.”<\/p>\n

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\"Zelensky<\/a>
From left: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, and European Council President Charles Michel (Feb. 7, 2023)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/figure>\n

After the endorsement of European Council conclusions on the start of negotiations (December 2023<\/a>) and on the call to the 27 ministers to adopt the frameworks “without delay” (March 2024<\/a>), for weeks now, the file<\/a> on the start of EU accession negotiations for Ukraine and Moldova had been hot in Bruxelles, with June 25 on the radars of the Belgian presidency and the 12 most in favour governments<\/a> as the last date before the start of the handover to Hungary<\/strong> for the six-month leadership of the EU institution<\/strong>. After the first negative outcome at the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) on May 29 due to the Hungarian objections to Ukraine,<\/a> Belgian negotiators worked tirelessly to smooth out Budapest’s resistance (never insurmountable, to be fair) and make it possible to reach a general understanding for the formal vote. The issue returned to the ambassadors’ table<\/a> last Friday (June 14), with the new compromise text finding agreement “in principle” from all twenty-seven countries.<\/strong> Yesterday (June 20), the Netherlands finally positively lifted its parliamentary reservation by voting in favour, paving the way for approval in the EU Council.<\/p>\n

Speaking of intergovernmental conferences, the 27 EU ministers also approved the Belgian presidency’s proposal to convene<\/strong> the 16th meeting with Montenegro in Brussels next Wednesday (June 26)<\/strong>. The Council notes<\/a> that: “The meeting will take stock of Montenegro’s progress in meeting the intermediate benchmarks of the rule of law chapters” (namely Chapter 23 on judiciary and fundamental rights, and Chapter 24 on justice, freedom and security) “and provide guidance for future work.”\u00a0 Podgorica is the most advanced partner <\/a>on the road to joining the European Union, and in February, the Montenegrin Premier, Milojko Spaji\u0107<\/strong>, in an exclusive interview<\/a> with Eunews,<\/em> made it clear that “we will do our best to conclude the accession negotiations in 2026 and wait until 2028 for the ratification of the Accession Treaty<\/strong> by all member states.”<\/p>\n

How the EU accession process works<\/h3>\n

The EU enlargement process begins with a non-EU state submitting a formal application for membership<\/strong> to the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union. Union membership first requires a successful examination of the Copenhagen criteria (established at the European Council in the Danish capital in 1993 and strengthened by the EU leaders meeting in Madrid two years later). These criteria are divided into three groups of basic requests<\/a> that the Union addresses to the country that has applied for membership: rule of law and democratic institutions (including respect for human rights and the protection of minorities), stable market economy (ability to cope with market forces and competitive pressure), and fulfilment of its obligations (effectively implementing the body of EU law and meeting the objectives of political, economic and monetary union).<\/p>\n

Having obtained the positive opinion of the Commission<\/strong>, it comes to the conferment of candidate country status<\/strong> with the approval of all members of the Union. This is followed by the Commission’s recommendation to the EU Council to open negotiations<\/strong> which, again, requires the unanimous go-ahead of the member countries: this allows the negotiating chapters<\/strong> (varying in number) to be opened, the purpose of which is to prepare the candidate, particularly on the implementation of the necessary judicial, administrative and economic reforms. When the negotiations are completed, and EU enlargement is possible in terms of absorption capacity, this leads to the signing of the Accession Treaty <\/strong>(with terms and conditions for accession, including any safeguard clauses and transitional provisions), which must first be approved unanimously<\/strong> by the European Parliament and the Council.<\/p>\n