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The European Commission announced on Friday a joint task force with Ukraine to speed up accession work, after Hungary lifted its veto on opening further negotiating clusters.
EU and Ukrainian officials will sit on the task force, which is meant to help Kyiv complete its accession homework. Earlier this week, member states agreed to open two more clusters. The remaining two are now expected by the end of the year.
“Ukraine is among the countries making most progress towards EU membership. Following the opening of two more negotiating clusters this week, I discussed the next steps with PM Serhii Koretskyi. We agreed to launch a joint Task Force,” Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said on X.
The task force will focus on the so-called interim benchmarks, the mid-process targets a candidate must meet before it can start closing negotiating chapters.
It will work through a list of outstanding requirements under the benchmarks on the fundamentals of accession, namely the rule of law and anti-corruption reforms.
“This is an important step to have a joint task force that will be meeting in fact twice a week over the next several months to really try to accelerate the work,” Katarína Mathernová, the EU ambassador to Ukraine, told Euronews.
Hungary’s veto was lifted only after Kyiv agreed on an education law for the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia. The Ukrainian parliament passed the law with a broad majority, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy swiftly signed it.
The vote raises hopes that Ukraine’s political elite will keep up the broad consensus needed to adopt the reforms required for EU membership.
"The task force follows the model used for Montenegro and Moldova," a Commission official told Euronews, adding that it gives Ukraine’s accession process new momentum.
Kyiv is also due to receive a roadmap breaking up the main steps, and an indicative timeline to complete the accession process as part of a broader enlargement package expected at the beginning of November.
“This step shows our commitment to supporting Ukraine’s path to EU membership. Our success will require unity and commitment from all involved Ukrainian partners,” Kos said.
Sasha Vakulina contributed to the reporting.