The President of the European Council, António Costa, is leading efforts to advance Ukraine's bid for EU membership, despite Hungarian resistance, as leaders prepare for a crucial summit in Copenhagen this week, Politico reports, writes UNN.
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According to five diplomats and officials, Costa is trying to garner support from EU capitals on simplifying the procedure for new members to join and breaking the deadlock on the potential membership of Ukraine and Moldova. The diplomatic offensive is an attempt to circumvent Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who has used his country's veto to delay Ukraine's path to EU membership. Current rules require all 27 EU member states to approve each stage of the accession process.
Moldova, also an official candidate for EU membership, is participating in the EU accession process alongside Ukraine and will not be able to move forward as long as the deadlock persists.
According to Costa's proposal, "the so-called negotiation clusters - key legal steps towards membership - can be opened with the consent of a qualified majority of EU countries, rather than a unanimous decision." Closing a cluster would still require the support of all EU capitals, but lower requirements for starting negotiations would allow Ukraine and Moldova to begin reforms necessary to demonstrate progress in meeting EU standards in certain policy areas. According to a person familiar with the plan, "they will be able to advance their membership applications even if one or two countries object."
According to diplomats, Costa directly lobbied EU leaders during a recent "tour of capitals," where he met with several European leaders, as well as during bilateral talks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly last week in New York.
"Enlargement is an important priority for the President of the European Council," one official said. "He sees it as the most important geopolitical investment the EU can make. That is why he considers it important to continue discussing ways to enable Ukraine to translate reforms into concrete steps."
Marta Kos, EU Commissioner for Enlargement, will travel to Ukraine on Monday, as the country completes the process of reviewing the legislation necessary to advance its candidacy.
"All clusters have been reviewed in record time. Ukraine has fulfilled its obligations. Ukraine is ready for the next step. Now the member states must give the 'green light'," Kos said. "Neither Ukraine nor Europe can afford to slow down the pace of Ukrainian reforms. Now is the time to accelerate the process."