Overview
- The European Commission formally adopted its annual Enlargement Package, praising Ukraine’s wartime reform drive, completion of screening, and readiness to open clusters 1 (fundamentals), 2 (internal market), and 6 (external relations).
- The report urges Ukraine to accelerate rule‑of‑law reforms and guard the independence of anti‑corruption bodies after a July episode that was quickly reversed but raised concerns in EU capitals.
- With Hungary blocking Council decisions to open clusters, Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos pressed member states to give a political signal so negotiating benchmarks and other technical work can continue.
- Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine and Moldova were singled out as reform frontrunners, while the Commission sharply criticized Georgia for democratic backsliding and warned that reforms in Serbia have slowed.
- Kyiv’s goal to provisionally close accession talks by end‑2028 was noted as ambitious, and the Commission proposed stronger safeguards in future Accession Treaties to prevent post‑entry backsliding.