On 11 January, Olha Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, held an online meeting with Olivér Várhelyi, EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, to discuss the next steps following the European Council’s decision to open accession negotiations with Ukraine.
“The Ukrainian side is fully mobilised and has the necessary capacities to move dynamically on the European integration path. On the first day of its work in the new year, the Verkhovna Rada supported in the first reading the draft law on fair lobbying, which was identified by the European Commission as a necessary additional step in the Enlargement Package,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.
The participants stressed the importance of monitoring the implementation of the legislation and reforms already adopted. In particular, the Deputy Prime Minister noted that the Government was paying special attention to the proper implementation of the adopted legislation on the protection of the rights of national minorities. Olha Stefanishyna also said that the Government of Ukraine was currently finalising an action plan to implement the recommendations in all areas identified in the Enlargement Package.
In the context of further steps, the parties discussed in detail the preparation of negotiating teams as well as the preparation of the actual start of EU accession negotiations, including the official screening (assessment of the conformity of Ukrainian legislation with EU legislation).
The Deputy Prime Minister also underlined the importance of predictability and stability of financial assistance to Ukraine in the face of russia’s ongoing full-scale war and expressed the hope that the European Council would approve the proposed financial assistance package for Ukraine at its extraordinary meeting on 1 February.
“The Commission will continue to monitor the progress on the recommendations from the first Enlargement Report of Ukraine,” Olivér Várhelyi wrote on the social media platform X.