In December 2023, during the European Council meeting, EU leaders will discuss the opening of accession negotiations for Ukraine. A new stage of the accession process will begin with the EU’s approval of the negotiating framework – an official document that will define the specific principles and foundations for Ukraine-EU negotiations.

The Center for Economic Recovery and EasyBusiness held an expert discussion “EU Negotiating Frameworks with Candidate Countries: International Experience and Lessons for Ukraine.”

The head of EasyBusiness, Dmytro Lyvch, presented a study on the comparative experience of the EU’s negotiating frameworks with candidate countries. In particular, the typical elements of the negotiating framework, the prerequisites for its approval, and its impact on the pace of the negotiation process were examined. The experience of foreign countries, including Croatia, Turkey, Iceland, Serbia, and Montenegro, was also discussed.

After the presentation of the study, an expert discussion took place on the positive and negative scenarios of the European Council’s decision regarding the opening of Ukraine’s accession negotiations. Based on the discussion, participants formulated a list of recommendations to consider before the decision on the start of accession negotiations. Among them:

1. Propose to the EU joint work on benchmarks for the “Fundamental Issues” cluster, which will increase transparency and accelerate implementation.
2. Identify areas of integration where transition periods may be needed (such as the free movement of labor).
3. Address myths within the EU regarding the impact of Ukraine’s accession on the Common Agricultural Policy.
4. Develop the potential for close dialogue with all EU countries, not just traditional partners.
5. Facilitate business connections between Ukrainian and EU business circles to overcome fears regarding trade liberalization.
6. Develop a risk matrix to overcome obstacles that may arise in the accession process.
7. Ensure the effective involvement of all stakeholders in the negotiation process to improve its quality.

The event and study were prepared by EasyBusiness NGO with financial support from the International Renaissance Foundation. The materials represent the position of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the International Renaissance Foundation.