On Wednesday 4 November, the European Commission said that if Moldova continued reforms at its current pace, it could be ready to conclude its accession negotiations “by early 2028”.
In its communication on enlargement, the Commission commits to supporting the Moldovan government’s goal of provisionally concluding negotiations by early 2028, “which is ambitious but achievable, provided Moldova maintains the current pace of reforms”.
The Commission also supports the Ukrainian government’s “ambitious” goal of concluding accession negotiations “by the end of 2028”, “but considers that to meet it an acceleration of the pace of reforms is required”.
“Ukraine and Moldova have shown extraordinary resilience and commitment to their EU path”, European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos told Members of the European Parliament. The Commission considers that both countries, which have opened four clusters of accession negotiation chapters, satisfy the conditions for the remaining clusters – cluster 4 (green agenda and sustainable connectivity) and cluster 5 (resources, agriculture and cohesion) – to be opened by the end of the year.
Furthermore, dialogues on their gradual integration into the EU will be launched in the first quarter of 2027.
By contrast, Türkiye and Georgia have backslid on their European paths this year, according to Marta Kos.
See the communication and ‘roadmaps’: https://aeur.eu/f/o8m
Moldova. “In terms of the pace of progress, Moldova clearly stands out as the country that has made the most progress”, a senior European official said on Wednesday.
According to the Commission, the country has stepped up the alignment of its legislation with the EU acquis across all negotiation chapters, and has made further progress in implementing key rule-of-law reforms, including “significant progress” on judicial reform and the fight against corruption.
“Moldova has made good progress in 28 of the 33 negotiation chapters, and very good progress in foreign, security and defence policy”, a senior European official said. The Commission notes, however, that the country needs to strengthen its administrative capacity as well as the implementation and enforcement of EU rules.
In a ‘roadmap’ published alongside the progress reports, the Commission considers that Moldova has made good progress in preparing to meet the interim benchmarks for the rule-of-law chapters. According to Marta Kos, the Commission should present its assessment report on those benchmarks, along with a draft interim common position, to the Council of the EU by the end of the year.
The current aim is for Chișinău to be in a position to close up to nine chapters in the first half of 2027, including those on: - free movement of capital; - customs union; - fisheries and aquaculture; - external relations; - foreign, security and defence policy. According to the ‘roadmap’, which can be updated if needed, the country could close a further 16 chapters in the second half of the year.
See the report: https://aeur.eu/f/o8o
Ukraine. In its ‘roadmap’, the Commission welcomes Ukraine’s “significant” efforts to accelerate the pace of rule-of-law reforms, and to devote sufficient time and resources to this effort to meet the targets set for the first half of 2027.
Although Ukrainian Prime Minister Sergii Koretskyi expressed his hope on Tuesday 3 November to close seven chapters in the first half of 2027 (see EUROPE 13974/15), the Commission considers that only one, education and culture, could be ready for closure. Their goal is to close another six in the second half of 2027 (intellectual property law; social policy and employment; enterprise and industrial policy; science and research; external relations; and foreign, security and defence policy).
The Commission acknowledges that Ukraine has continued to make progress in implementing key sectoral reforms. According to the Commission, “overall”, their anti-corruption institutions continue to operate independently and effectively. Furthermore, “good progress” has been made on the free movement of goods, financial services, digital transformation and media, taxation, science and research, education and culture, customs union, energy, and agriculture and rural development chapters. And “very good progress” was noted for foreign, security and defence policy.
“The next priority is clear: Ukraine should now focus on meeting the interim benchmarks on the rule of law, and delivering on the key roadmaps concerning the rule of law, democratic institutions, public administration reform, and the action plan on national minorities”, Marta Kos said. The country must also work towards closing the first negotiation chapters, with a focus on industry, science, education, and external relations.
See the report: https://aeur.eu/f/o8p
Türkiye. Despite accession negotiations being at a standstill since 2018, Türkiye remains a candidate country. “The gap between Türkiye’s declared objective of joining the EU and its backsliding with regard to the fundamental political criteria for EU accession has further widened”, the Commission explained, adding that the underlying factors that led to the impasse in accession negotiations remain unresolved.
Democracy, the rule of law, and fundamental rights thus continue to deteriorate, according to the Commission, which notes that prosecutions of elected representatives, opposition figures, and members of civil society have intensified.
The Commission calls on Ankara to reverse the democratic backsliding and address its fundamental shortcomings, strengthen cooperation to prevent circumvention of EU sanctions against Russia, maintain good neighbourly relations, and support efforts towards a settlement in Cyprus.
Despite difficulties, the EU has continued to advance its relations with Türkiye in a gradual, proportionate, and reversible manner, focusing on areas of mutual interest, including trade, migration, connectivity, and regional security.
See the report: https://aeur.eu/f/o8q
Georgia. “With accession effectively at standstill [editor’s note: since 2024], the EU’s enlargement policy can, for the time being, no longer serve as the central framework for EU-Georgia relations”, Ms Kos said.
No progress has been made on the nine steps that were set out when it was granted candidate country status, and the Commission observes it “continued to undermine democratic principles, the rule of law, fundamental rights and civic space”.
“Unless Georgian authorities change course and recommit to the fundamental principles underpinning EU accession, Georgia will continue to miss out on the benefits of candidate status and the pre-accession process”, the Commission states.
See the report: https://aeur.eu/f/o8r (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)