Hungary unblocks Ukraine’s negotiations for EU accession and the opening of clusters 2 and 3

Hungary has lifted its blockade of Ukraine’s accession negotiations with the European Union, allowing the procedure for Clusters 2 and 3 to advance, according to Ukrainska Pravda, which cited a European source familiar with the situation.

The EU Council’s Working Party on Enlargement approved the results of the screening process for the two clusters, while the ambassadors of the member states, meeting in Coreper, agreed to send letters to the governments of Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova presenting the negotiating positions.

Cluster 2 concerns the internal market, while Cluster 3 covers competitiveness and inclusive growth. Draft EU negotiating positions are to be prepared in the coming days.

According to the cited source, the member states could agree to officially open the clusters on October 12, after the Verkhovna Rada in Kyiv adopts amendments concerning education in the languages of national minorities. An Ukraine-EU intergovernmental conference could take place on October 13.

Hungary had blocked approval of the screening results for several months, preventing Ukraine from moving on to the next stages of the negotiations. On October 1, a draft law on minority education was registered in the Ukrainian parliament, a measure that contributed to lifting the blockade.