The process of screening (checking the compliance of Ukrainian legislation with EU law) within the framework of accession negotiations with Ukraine is proceeding at an unprecedented speed for the European Union.

Source: European Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mercier at a briefing on 22 April in Brussels, answering a question from a European Pravda journalist

Details: Mercier stressed that the EU enlargement process is a priority for the European Commission, and Ukraine is making steady progress towards the EU, in particular, demonstrating the highest screening rate in the history of enlargement.

"Indeed, what I can say is that enlargement remains a top priority for this Commission. And we opened negotiations with Ukraine in June 2024. And Ukraine is making steady progress towards EU accession. So we are now in this process of going through all the bilateral screenings of the different European clusters", he said. 

"When it comes to Ukraine, we have followed this accelerated path, meaning that the screening process is going at a speed that we have never seen before, because experts from the Commission as well are working closely with the Ukrainian counterparts to make sure that this screening process can go as fast as possible", Mercier added.

The spokesman specified that "we'll continue [the screening process – ed.] until the autumn".

Mercier confirmed that Ukraine is ready to open the first negotiating cluster, Fundamentals, but that this requires the consent of all 27 EU member states.

"Ukraine has fulfilled all the conditions to open the first cluster on the fundamentals, but this requires, obviously, as you said, the agreement from all the member states", he said.

The opening of the first cluster of the negotiations was blocked by Hungary, which put forward additional conditions regarding the rights of Hungarians in Transcarpathia.

Mercier added that "this discussion is happening in the Council". 

"What the Commission is doing is really to help and support Ukraine as much as possible in all the possible ways, meaning technical, political and financial support. We continue to do so, and we'll continue to also engage with all the member states", he stressed.

Background:

• Earlier, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that Ukraine had reached the fastest pace of the accession process among all of the countries that have ever sought to become an EU member.
• In February 2025, Hungary blocked the opening of the first negotiation cluster with Ukraine and promised to block the opening of subsequent clusters until it held "consultations" with the Hungarian population on this issue.
• The "consultations", which are accompanied by manipulations and lies on the part of the Hungarian government, are due to end in late June.

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