Overview
- Brussels says Ukraine has met the conditions to open clusters 1 (fundamentals), 2 (internal market) and 6 (external relations) and calls for an acceleration of reforms to pursue Kyiv’s goal of closing talks by end-2028.
- EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos highlights Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine and Moldova as the year’s top reform performers and says new members by 2030 is a realistic prospect.
- Hungary continues to prevent formal Council decisions on opening clusters for Ukraine, with the Commission seeking a political signal to allow negotiating benchmarks and other technical work to proceed.
- The package sharply criticizes Georgia for serious democratic backsliding, calling it a candidate country in name only, and warns Serbia over slowed reforms and concerns about freedom of expression and trust in institutions.
- To guard against post-accession erosion of democratic standards, the Commission proposes stronger safeguards in future Accession Treaties focusing on rule of law, democracy and fundamental rights.