Ukraine
Ukraine applied for EU membership in February 2022 and was granted EU candidate status in June 2022. In December 2023, EU leaders decided to open accession negotiations.
EU membership application
On 28 February 2022, Ukraine applied for EU membership.
On 17 June 2022, the European Commission issued its opinion on the application for EU membership.
On 23 June 2022, the European Council granted candidate status to Ukraine. It invited the European Commission to report to the Council on the fulfilment of the conditions specified in the Commission's opinion on the membership application as part of the Commission's regular enlargement package. The Council will decide on further steps once all these conditions are fully met.
At the special European Council meeting in February 2023, EU leaders acknowledged the considerable efforts that Ukraine has demonstrated towards meeting the objectives underpinning its candidate status for EU membership. The leaders also encouraged Ukraine to fulfil the conditions specified in the Commission’s opinion to advance towards future EU membership.
Accession negotiations
In November 2023, the European Commission issued a recommendation to open accession negotiations with Ukraine. In December 2023, EU leaders decided to open accession negotiations with Ukraine and invited the Council to adopt the negotiation framework once the relevant steps set out in the Commission’s report of 8 November 2023 were taken. In March 2024, EU leaders welcomed the progress made by Ukraine on its path to EU membership. Further to the submission of the draft negotiating framework, they invited the Council to swiftly adopt it and to take work forward without delay.
Annual progress review
Every year, the Council adopts conclusions on enlargement and the stabilisation and association process, which take stock of progress made in each of the EU candidates and partners on their European path.
In the latest conclusions, which were adopted in December 2023, the Council commended the substantial progress Ukraine has made towards meeting the objectives underpinning its candidate status, despite the fact that it is under attack.
Ukraine has made progress on the rule of law as well as on judicial and administration reform, and the Council encouraged Ukraine to continue on this path. In this context, the Council welcomed the fact that Ukraine has put in place a legislative and institutional framework on fundamental rights and has aligned its media legislation with EU audio-visual rules.
While some progress has been made in the fight against corruption, Ukraine needs to further strengthen its anti-corruption institutions and improve its track record on investigations and convictions, including on high-level cases.
Due to the ongoing Russian aggression, the conduct of monetary policy and overall economic governance in Ukraine have faced exceptional difficulties. The functioning of the country’s market economy and the independence of its regulatory authorities, notably the Central Bank, are of particular importance, also in view of reconstruction efforts.
The Council also emphasised the importance of further deepening the EU’s sectoral cooperation with Ukraine and Ukraine’s integration in the EU internal market, on the basis of the EU-Ukraine association agreement and the deep and comprehensive free trade area agreement between the EU, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine respectively.
EU relations with Ukraine
Parallel to the enlargement process, the EU and Ukraine also cooperate to strengthen political and economic relations, including through the Eastern Partnership. Since 2017, an association agreement between the EU and Ukraine is in force and the partners have been continuously working on its implementation, aimed at further deepening Ukraine’s political association and economic integration with the EU.
Last review: 29 April 2024