Today, on 10 July, Minister of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Oleh Nemchinov met with Director of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR) Gert Jan Koopman.

The meeting was also attended by Anna Jarosz-Friis, Director for Ukraine Service, DG NEAR, European Commission (Poland), Marlene Rosemarie Madsen, Head of the Economic and Sectoral Policies Unit in the Ukraine Service, DG NEAR, European Commission (Denmark), Frederik Coene, Head of Cooperation, EU Delegation to Ukraine (Belgium), Stefan Schleuning, Advisor to the Head of Ukraine Service, DG NEAR, European Commission, representatives of the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Reform Office of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.

During the meeting, the parties discussed prospects for financial assistance, institutional support for European integration, the programme of institutional preparation of Ukraine for EU accession, public administration reform and prospects for its development.

“Ukraine continues to implement the in-depth democratic reforms necessary for full membership of the European Union. The main objective now is to complete the implementation of the seven recommendations of the European Commission by October, when the European Commission’s report on the 2023 Enlargement Package will be presented. Ukraine expects that the full implementation of the seven recommendations, as well as the report within the framework of the Enlargement Package, will allow for the start of negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the EU in late 2023. In April this year, Ukraine submitted its input to the future Enlargement Package, and in June the relevant information was updated and also submitted to the EU side,” said Oleh Nemchinov, Minister of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.

The meeting also discussed the European Commission’s proposal (20 June) to create a fund for Ukraine within the EU budget, which would provide ongoing financial support until 2027.

The new fund will help to maintain macro-financial stability, recovery, and modernisation of the country as it implements key reforms on its path to EU membership. It will support the transition to a green, digital and inclusive economy, gradually aligned with EU rules and standards.