While some EU countries would still require parliamentary approval, almost all 27 member states were in favour of holding the first intergovernmental Conferences (IGC), according to people familiar with the talks.
However, Budapest continues to block Ukraine, but not Moldova, and has requested additional changes to the draft agreement due to 11 bilateral issues regarding national minority rights, trade, anticorruption, agriculture, internal market, and good neighbourly relations.
“Reflecting the outcomes of the debate (…) of 29 May, we fully support your efforts and are pleased to see the progress being made,” the ministers said.
“By agreeing to these negotiating frameworks and convening Intergovernmental Conferences, we will de facto and de jure open the accession negotiations with both countries,” they added.
EU envoys are expected to revisit the matter on Friday (7 June), with the possibility of making a political decision.
The European Commission is expected to give EU ambassadors an oral update on both countries’ progress on accession reforms. EU officials say both are expected to receive a positive assessment.
“Opening the accession negotiations would bring additional motivation to both Ukraine and Moldova,” the ministers wrote in their joint letter
“Given the dire situation on the ground in Ukraine and the upcoming presidential elections and EU referendum in Moldova, this would boost morale and further the work on reforms in these countries,” they added.
They also urged that in order “to continue the credible enlargement process, the EU should provide tangible benefits for the populations of the respective countries”.
“This can be achieved by the gradual integration of Ukraine and Moldova into the European Union, through phasing into individual EU policies and programmes before full membership in the EU,” they stressed.
[Edited by Zoran Radosavljevic]
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Publish date : 2024-06-11 07:00:00
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