European Commission prepares broader EU market access for Ukraine before accession - Politico
The European Commission is preparing a mechanism that will allow Ukraine and other candidate countries to integrate more deeply into the EU single market before completing the full accession procedure.
This is reported by Politico, which has reviewed the European Commission's draft proposal on so-called gradual integration of candidates. The document is not yet a final decision and still needs to be discussed within the EU.
According to the draft, Ukraine, Moldova, Albania and Montenegro should receive separate roadmaps that will define the possibilities for their accelerated economic integration with the European Union before formal membership.
This concerns, in particular, broader access to the single market, trade facilitation, participation in EU research, innovation and industrial programmes. The European Commission is to determine in which sectors the level of legislative alignment and the state's capacity to implement the rules already allow for deeper integration.
A separate emphasis is placed on high-tech sectors. Among the areas where closer cooperation is being considered, Politico names semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, biotechnologies and the space sector.
At the same time, additional access will not be unconditional. For participation in sensitive sectors, candidate countries are expected to be required to cooperate in the areas of foreign investment screening, export control, sanctions enforcement and critical technology protection.
If a country ceases to meet these conditions, the scope of its participation could be reduced or fully suspended. Thus, the proposed model involves not a one-time market opening, but a gradual expansion of access depending on compliance with EU rules.
For Ukraine, this would be the next stage of its already existing economic integration. Currently, the country has candidate status for EU membership, and membership negotiations officially started in 2024. Ukraine is already integrating into certain elements of the internal market through the Association Agreement and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area.
The European Commission has previously stated its intention to ensure Ukraine's maximum unfettered access to the single market. In particular, the current cooperation plan envisages gradual integration into certain parts of it before accession - from telecommunications to payments and freer movement of some industrial goods.
Kurs has already written about the discussion in the EU on granting candidate countries practical benefits before obtaining membership. At that time, the focus was mostly on the general concept. The current draft specifies this approach: it provides for roadmaps, separate areas of access and conditions under which a country can integrate into the EU market.
According to Politico, the draft is to be presented to EU senior officials in early October, after which the issue of further enlargement and gradual integration of candidates is planned to be discussed at the level of the bloc's leaders.
Based on materials from: Politico Europe, European Commission
