European Commission Acknowledges Ukraine’s Progress in Implementing "Candidate" Recommendations

The European Commission believes that Ukraine has fully implemented two out of seven conditions necessary to open accession negotiations, and progress has been made on the remaining conditions.

This states the interim assessment of the European Commission on the implementation of the "candidate" recommendations, as reported by "Interfax-Ukraine."

As previously mentioned by "European Pravda," the overall assessment of the European Commission regarding Ukraine is positive and aims to assist Kyiv in addressing the existing challenges, which, although several, are not considered insurmountable in Brussels.

From the perspective of the European Commission, the conditions on the judiciary and media have been fully met. "Good progress" has been achieved in the Constitutional Court reform.

The assessment, characterised as "some progress," is given to the deoligarchisation process, the issue of national minorities, the fight against corruption (which requires strengthening and a reliable track record), and the fight against money laundering and reforming law enforcement agencies (where the system of combating money laundering needs to be strengthened).

The European Commission believes that Ukraine should "focus on amending the procedure for selecting judges of the Constitutional Court in line with the recommendations of the Venice Commission and initiate the selection process."

Additionally, Ukraine should take "further systemic measures and create a reliable track record in cases of high-level corruption."

Moreover, the European Commission emphasises the need for Ukraine to align its legislation on anti-money laundering with international standards and implement the recommendations of the Venice Commission in the areas of deoligarchisation and national minorities.

The explanatory note specifies that the assessment of "implemented" is given when everything is worked out, "good progress" is given to criteria fulfilled by more than 50%, meaning that important measures have been taken, but some are still pending, "some progress" is given when less than 50% is fulfilled, indicating that several measures have been taken, but significant steps are still expected, and "no progress" is given if no priority steps have been taken.

Regarding Moldova, the European Commission has set nine conditions for Chișinău, of which three have been met, "good progress" has been made on two, and "some progress" on four.

As for Georgia, which needs to fulfill 12 conditions to obtain candidate status, three have been met, "some progress" has been made on seven, "limited progress" on one, and no progress on one condition, specifically media pluralism.