The European Commission is considering recommending that EU member states start accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, and that Georgia be granted candidate status.
This was announced by the editor of Radio Liberty for Europe Rikard Jozwiak, covering the EU and NATO, reports “European truth“.
Jozwiak noted that the European Commission plans to provide an update on the accession status of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia to the EU in May. This deadline is earlier announced and in the Ukrainian government. The European Commission’s official report on expansion is expected in October.
According to Jozwiak, the European Commission is thinking of recommending to member states that they start accession negotiations with Ukraine and Georgia, and that they move forward with Georgia, which does not yet have candidate status.
“So, six months left, but the working assumption at the moment: a recommendation to start accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova and grant candidate status to Georgia,” Jozwiak wrote on his Twitter.
Earlier media reported that the European Commission was inclined to grant candidate status to Georgia to join the EU – provided that during this time the country’s authorities do not take new steps that are contrary to the European course.
The government of Ukraine says they are working with every EU state to open accession negotiations.
Accession negotiations concern the conditions under which a country will be admitted to the EU. They focus on the adoption and implementation of EU legislation (acquis). The goal is for the candidate country to fulfill the conditions for membership, often referred to as the “Copenhagen criteria”.
