Ukraine and the EU Review Progress on Reforms and Preparations for the Opening of Accession Negotiation Clusters

On 16 March 2026, the ninth meeting of the Ukraine-EU Association Committee took place in Brussels, marking an important stage in coordinating further reforms and preparing for the next phase of the negotiation process on Ukraine’s accession to the European Union.

The Ukrainian delegation, comprising more than 100 representatives of state authorities participating both online and in person, was headed by Oleksandr Ilkov, Director General of the Government Office for Coordination of European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.

On behalf of the European Union, the delegation was co-chaired by Anna Jarosz-Friis, Director for Ukraine Service at the Directorate-General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood (DG ENEST) of the European Commission and Baiba Tavaresa, Acting Deputy Managing Director at the European External Action Service (EEAS). The meeting also brought together representatives of several Directorates-General of the European Commission, the European External Action Service, and the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine.

Over the past year, meetings of all components of the Association Committee were held, including all subcommittees under the Association Committee in the trade configuration, as well as two meetings of the Parliamentary Association Committee. The intensification of work within the bilateral association bodies, particularly after the completion of the screening process, has become an important element of the structured dialogue on implementing reforms, assessing the progress of the negotiation process in a timely manner, and identifying joint technical steps reflected in the respective operational conclusions.

Among the key priorities of the ninth meeting – preparations for opening of negotiation clusters, implementation of reform roadmaps, and further alignment of Ukrainian legislation with the EU acquis.

Director General of the Government Office Oleksandr Ilkov emphasized that Ukraine remains committed to maintaining a high pace of European integration. Within this process, the finalisation of the draft National Programme for the Adoption of Acquis is currently underway.

“In 2025, Ukraine completed the legislative screening in record time and achieved full technical readiness to open all six negotiation clusters. This has been confirmed both by the European Commission and by the Council of the EU conclusions on enlargement. Our main goal for 2026 is the formal opening of accession negotiations. We hope that the next meeting of the Association Committee will already take place under the conditions of opened negotiation clusters,” he noted.

The parties also discussed further cooperation in the following areas:

• rule of law and fundamental rights;
• combating organised crime, reforms in the security sector;
• reform of the judiciary, anti-corruption infrastructure and law enforcement bodies;
• border management, migration policy and international security cooperation;
• public administration reform and decentralisation;
• sectoral cooperation in the fields of economy, finance, digital transformation, transport, energy, environment, education, social policy and agriculture.

The Ukrainian side also presented its up-to-date data from the Report on the implementation of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union for 2025.

“We commend the continued commitment of the Ukrainian authorities to credible reforms on its EU path. Maintaining the quality and sustainability of reforms, especially on rule of law, anti-corruption, democratic institutions and public administration reform, is crucial. The EU stands ready to assist Ukraine further in its reform efforts and their sustained implementation,” stressed Anna Jarosz-Friis.

Ukraine expressed its sincere gratitude to the European Union and its Member States for their continued support. Since 2022, the EU has mobilised nearly €200 billion in military, financial, humanitarian and technical assistance, helping to maintain macroeconomic stability, ensure the functioning of the state, and support Ukraine’s preparations for EU membership. Ukraine also highly appreciates the European Commission’s efforts to launch the Ukraine Support Loan instrument for 2026–2027, amounting up to €90 billion, which will become an important element of the country’s financial resilience during the war.

The parties welcomed the constructive, substantive discussions and confirmed their shared readiness to further deepen cooperation. Operational conclusions will be adopted by the parties following the meeting, which will define the next steps of cooperation within the framework of the Association Agreement and the accession negotiations between Ukraine and the EU.

Background information 

The Ukraine-EU Association Committee is the highest body of cooperation between Ukraine and the European Union at the expert level. It includes representatives of ministries, primarily at the level of Deputy Ministers for European integration. The Committee ensures the implementation of the Association Agreement, prepares decisions for the Association Council, and coordinates the practical implementation of reforms and joint commitments between the parties.
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