Transformations needed to realise the European choice of Ukrainians should not take decades: Olha Stefanishyna

Ukraine has a lot of work to do on its way to joining the European Union and the EU’s internal market, but it will not take long. This was stated by Olha Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, during a public discussion: “Ukraine’s EU accession process: How to move efficiently and quickly” with the participation of international experts on European integration, held in Kyiv on 22 July.

The event took place on the occasion of the first visit of the High-Level Advisory Group on Ukraine’s Accession to the EU – former European Commissioners, Ministers and Ambassadors from Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark – who shared their experiences of their countries’ accession to the EU.

The panelists discussed, among other things, Ukraine’s next priority steps in the EU accession negotiations, as well as the challenges on the way. The panelists focused on key aspects of presenting Ukraine’s position in Brussels and other EU member states, navigating the negotiation process, and expectations from the EU enlargement process as such.

“We have a lot of work ahead of us to become a full-fledged part of the European Union and the EU internal market. Regardless of the political will, it is only possible to join the EU by meeting its criteria. In the short term, we have important tasks to complete the screening process efficiently and quickly, and then to open all negotiating chapters. I believe that this process will not take long, as Ukraine has a decade of experience in implementing the Association Agreement, as well as many elements of sectoral integration that go beyond the Agreement, which is itself the most ambitious agreement the European Union has concluded with a third party,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

According to her, the key task for the Ukrainian Government today is to remain focused, united and proactive on the European integration track. Olha Stefanishyna expressed hope that the European Commission would help ensure the proper dynamics of the process.

“We are a young nation that made its European choice ten years ago during the Revolution of Dignity, and today we are fighting for it on the frontline. The transformations necessary to realise the choice of our people should not take decades. We expect the same position from our partners and allies,” the official said.

She expressed special gratitude to Sweden, which has launched a High-Level Advisory Group to provide expert support to the Government of Ukraine in the process of accession to the EU.

The panel discussion was attended by, among others, members of the Advisory Group Cecilia Malmström, former European Commissioner for Home Affairs, European Commissioner for Trade, Member of the European Parliament, Minister for EU Affairs of Sweden; Andris Piebalgs (Latvia), former European Commissioner for Energy, European Commissioner for Development, Ambassador of Latvia to the EU, Minister of Finance and Minister of Education of Latvia; Algirdas Šemeta (Lithuania), former European Commissioner for Financial Programming and Budget, European Commissioner for Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and Anti-Fraud, twice Minister of Finance of Lithuania.

The event was organised with the support of the Nordic-Baltic Cooperation (NB8) by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine.