How combating corruption can make Ukraine's closer to EU membership
The progress of anti-corruption reforms determines the success of the entire negotiation process on Ukraine's membership in the EU.
Ukraine is expected to receive the European Commission's report on the results of the screening for the first negotiation cluster in the coming days, probably as early as January 17.
It will show the country's progress in overcoming corruption and assess Ukraine's readiness to join the European Union.
Read more about Ukraine's anti-corruption efforts and key reforms expected by the European Commission in the article by Dmytro Kalmykov, Deputy Head of the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) – Enduring anti-corruption: what requirements will be at the centre of Ukraine's EU accession negotiations?
Traditionally, the negotiations between the candidate country and the European Commission on the rule of law and anti-corruption policy take place within the framework of Chapter 23, which is part of the first cluster "Fundamentals".
It determines the success of the entire accession negotiation process: it is the first to be opened and the last to be closed.
However, this is actually the first time in history that the European Commission has applied a specific approach to anti-corruption in its dealings with Ukraine.
The EU is requiring Ukraine to integrate anti-corruption initiatives into all negotiating chapters, ranging from energy and digital transformation to media. This approach is referred to as "anti-corruption mainstreaming."
The main focus of negotiations with the European Commission is the assessment of the candidate country's legislation for compliance with EU legislation.
In the anti-corruption sector, there are six such acts: three are fully compliant, and three are almost fully compliant.
The first source includes recommendations provided to Ukraine directly by the European Commission, as well as through the monitoring mechanisms of international organizations such as the OECD, GRECO and FATF, along with those outlined in agreements with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other relevant documents.
The second source involves the European Commission's direct analysis of the situation in Ukraine, identifying key issues in the field of preventing and combating corruption, and forming clear expectations for Ukraine to address these challenges.
So what requirements can we expect from the European Commission in the Screening Report?
The Commission underscores that Ukraine must transition from temporary solutions that yield short-term results to the development of a progressive, systematic and effective anti-corruption policy based on data.
The Anti-Corruption Strategy and the State Anti-Corruption Program for 2023–2025 offer a systematic approach to identifying and addressing corruption risks across various sectors. Ensuring their proper implementation is among the European Commission's key requirements for Ukraine.
As of today, Ukraine has fully or partially implemented 349 measures, accounting for 30.4% of the three-year programme.
The European Commission also expects Ukraine to draft a high-quality Anti-Corruption Strategy and Programme for 2026–2030. The new documents should prioritise areas such as security and defence, infrastructure rehabilitation, transportation, taxes, customs and energy.
Participation in the negotiation process implies that the European Commission anticipates Ukraine will implement several critical initiatives.