Overview

• European Council President António Costa is pitching a change to let EU accession negotiating clusters open by qualified majority, while keeping unanimity for closing clusters and final membership.
• The European Commission said the switch to qualified majority for interim steps "could be explored," with leaders expected to discuss the idea at an informal meeting in Copenhagen.
• Adoption faces hurdles because altering the negotiating framework requires unanimity, and diplomats say countries including France, the Netherlands and Greece are wary of curbing their veto power.
• Ukraine completed the bilateral screening of all six clusters at record speed, and Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said Kyiv is ready for the next step as she met minority groups in western Ukraine.
• Hungary continues to block the opening of the first cluster, citing minority rights and security and economic concerns, which also stalls Moldova’s linked bid as Chișinău urges the EU to unblock progress after PAS retained its majority.