EU opens two more accession negotiation clusters with Ukraine
The European Union formally opened two additional negotiating clusters with Ukraine on October 13, bringing the country a step closer to EU membership.
The decision was announced following an EU–Ukraine intergovernmental conference in Luxembourg, after all 27 EU member states approved the move.
The newly opened clusters cover the internal market (Cluster 2) and competitiveness and inclusive growth (Cluster 3). Moldova also opened the same two clusters.
"This is a demonstration today of our Union's unwavering commitment to enlargement and to Ukraine's future within our European Union family," said Ireland's Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence, Thomas Byrne.
The decision followed Ukraine's adoption of legislation addressing the educational rights of national minorities, a condition demanded by Hungary before it would support opening the negotiations.
Ukraine's parliament approved the legislation with 266 votes, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy subsequently signed it into law.
What does this mean for Ukraine's EU membership?
EU accession negotiations are divided into six thematic clusters covering areas in which candidate countries must align their laws and institutions with EU standards.
Opening a cluster allows detailed negotiations to proceed on the relevant policy areas. It does not mean that negotiations in that area have been completed or that membership is guaranteed.
The EU opened Ukraine's first cluster, covering fundamental issues such as democratic institutions and the rule of law, in June 2026. A second cluster, covering external relations, followed in July.
With the latest decision, four of the six negotiating clusters have now been formally opened.
Ukraine aims to open all six by the end of 2026, although further progress will depend on reforms and agreement among EU member states.