EU and Ukraine accelerate to start negotiations by June
Growing number of countries in favour of starting within the semester, including Moldova, Hungary still resists, asking for reassurances
from our correspondent Beda Romano
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BRUSSELS - The formal start of negotiations on the entry of Ukraine and Moldova into the European Union is approaching in small steps. The intergovernmental conference called to sanction the start of the negotiations, which are expected to be long and complex, could be convened as early as June. The prospects for Bosnia-Herzegovina appear more complicated. Among other things, the arrival in The Hague of a government that has shifted to the right makes one fear new uncertainties about the country's European future.
Yes of France, Sweden, Ireland and Finland
.During a ministerial meeting in Brussels, several member states expressed their support for the EU formally starting accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova by the end of the semester. Among the countries that expressed themselves were France, Sweden, Ireland, and Finland. The political signal would be clear. Interestingly, however, nothing is expected before the European elections on 6-9 June, so sensitive is the issue anyway.
Last December, the Twenty-Seven gave the green light to open negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova. Since then, diplomats from the member states have been working on two texts: on the one hand, the negotiating framework proposed by the European Commission; on the other hand, a political declaration with which to open the intergovernmental conference. Between the end of May and the beginning of June, the texts should arrive at ambassadorial level, ahead of the traditional European summit at the end of June.
The Hungarian Resistance
.Already in December, the approval of the Twenty-Seven for the start of negotiations had come with a subterfuge: the exit from the room of the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who was against a quick entry of Kiev. On a technical level, Hungary continues to clamour. It demands the protection of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine and reassurances on the integration of Kiev and Chișinău into the single market. Budapest is not alone: many fear economic competition from the two countries.
"I don't think it is convenient for Hungary to drag the issue out beyond 30 June, when it will take over the presidency of the Union," one diplomat remarked yesterday, expressing cautious optimism that an agreement among the 27 could be reached within the next month. That said, even if an intergovernmental conference gives the go-ahead in June for the formal opening of negotiations, the negotiations will be long and complicated. The thematic chapters and negotiating clusters are 35 and 7 respectively.
