2023-11-09 00:38:51
The European Commission, executive arm of the European Union (EU), recommended this Wednesday to open accession negotiations with Ukraine, as announced by the president of that institution, Ursula von der Leyen.
Perspective Writing
”Today is a historic day,” Von der Leyen said at a news conference. The Commission also recommended opening such negotiations with Moldova and granted Georgia the status of a candidate country for accession.
Von der Leyen asserted that Ukraine “continues to face enormous difficulties and tragedy caused by Russia’s war of aggression.” Therefore, the Commission’s recommendations must be submitted to the vote of the leaders of the EU countries at a summit scheduled for December in Brussels.
Ukrainians are deeply reforming their country and preparing for accession,
even as they are fighting an existential war.Today the Commission recommends that the Council opens accession negotiations with Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/XNuyZigoZu— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) November 8, 2023
A PROCESS THAT WILL TAKE TIME
It should be remembered that Ukraine presented its application for membership in the EU just five days after Russia’s offensive against its territory, in February 2022, and in June the country was officially recognized as an applicant to join the bloc.
“The Commission recommends that the Council begin accession negotiations with Ukraine,” states the European Executive’s report on the progress of the candidates, which confirms that Ukraine has completed four of the seven priority reforms set when it was granted candidate status. last year.
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, referred to the European Commission’s positive assessment of Ukraine’s efforts on its path to the EU.
During our call, President @Zourabichvili_S congratulated Ukrainians and I congratulated the friendly Georgian people on the European Commission’s positive assessment of Ukraine’s and Georgia’s efforts on our path to the EU.
I expressed my gratitude to Georgia for sending a… pic.twitter.com/YdtzgHjdAg— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Volodymyr Zelensky (@ZelenskyyUa) November 8, 2023
However, the accession process takes several years of complex negotiations between the aspiring countries and the EU institutions in Brussels, a process that can take up to a decade.
An example of how long the process can take is Turkey, which began formal accession talks in 2005, and the situation remains at an impasse. Another case is that of Albania, which was recognized as a candidate country in 2003, and began formal talks in 2009, which have not yet been completed.
In the case of Bosnia, a Commission document released this Wednesday recommended the start of formal accession negotiations only after that country moves forward with a reform plan.
In the case of Ukraine, Brussels points out that there are pending reforms on the Ukrainian side to formalize this step, which is why it conditions the starting signal for the talks with the adoption of the negotiating framework, on Kiev finalizing some measures it is working on.
An example of this is increasing the fight against corruption, in addition to implementing laws to reduce the influence of oligarchs in the public, political and economic life of Ukraine and the need to finalize the legal framework for national minorities in accordance with the standards set by the Venice Commission.
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