European Commission spokesman Guillaume Mercier noted that the process of verifying the compliance of Ukrainian legislation with EU law, as part of accession negotiations, is underway and progressing at an unparalleled speed. The EC’s screening report on Cluster 1, Fundamentals, has already been submitted to the Council of the EU. Reports on Cluster 2, Internal Market, and Cluster 6, External Relations, are expected to be sent by the end of June, with the full screening aimed for completion in the fall of 2025 during Denmark’s EU presidency.
However, while Ukraine has met all conditions for launching the Fundamentals cluster, this decision requires the consent of all EU member states. In response to Hungary’s blocking of the cluster’s opening, Mercier indicated that the EC, along with Poland, which currently holds the EU presidency, is actively seeking solutions. He added that considering the screening’s pace, the EC believes all clusters can be opened this year, pending approval from member states.