Sergii Koretskyi: EU opens negotiations with Ukraine on two more clusters, Internal Market, and Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth

Prime Minister of Ukraine Sergii Koretskyi thanked the EU member states, the European Commission and Ireland, presiding over the Council, for today's decision to open negotiations with Ukraine on two more clusters: Internal Market, and Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth.

"This is an important step towards Ukraine's economic integration with the EU and the start of substantive talks on 17 chapters of the EU acquis," Sergii Koretskyi stressed.

He said Ukraine is on course for full participation in the EU single market, with free movement of goods, services, capital and workers. That means aligning competition, financial, tax and customs rules with European standards. It also covers developing industry, small and medium-sized businesses and the digital sector, and joining the European research and education area.

"The benchmarks we've received from the EU for every cluster set out our next steps towards membership. The Government has approved the National Programme for the Adaptation of Ukraine's Legislation to EU Law, and we are delivering on it without waiting for talks on the remaining clusters to begin," the Prime Minister said.

He added that Ukraine has met all the conditions for opening six negotiating clusters.

"We expect the last two to be opened by the end of the year. Thank you to the President of Ukraine for his leadership on the road to European integration, to the members of parliament, to the Government team and to everyone working to deliver on our commitments," Sergii Koretskyi said.