Ukraine Launches Final Screening Session under Cluster 4
Вступ України до ЄС
08.07.2025
On Tuesday, July 8, Ukraine began meetings with the European Commission within the framework of the screening of the alignment of Ukrainian legislation with EU law for Negotiating Chapters 15 “Energy” and 21 “Trans-European Networks.” The screening meetings will last for two days, July 8–9, and mark the final stage within Cluster 4 “Green Agenda and Sustainable Connectivity.”
The Ukrainian delegation is led by Chief Negotiator, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration – Minister of Justice of Ukraine, Olha Stefanishyna.
In her remarks, Deputy Prime Minister Stefanishyna noted that in the fields of energy and trans-European networks, Ukraine has already demonstrated that it is both a strong player on the European market and a country that, over the past decade, has made significant efforts to align its norms and rules with EU market standards.
“It was precisely this approach that allowed us, at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, to make decisions that helped the country survive. Today, Ukraine’s legal framework in the energy sector is strong and progressive at all levels. I hope this will be a good opportunity to demonstrate it,” Olha Stefanishyna stated.
She stressed that while Ukraine is committed to implementing all the necessary EU acquis on time, some elements will nevertheless require additional time and transitional periods.
“The further transformations we will implement are closely linked to the realities of martial law. That is why it is critically important for us to be as precise as possible in what we do. Ukraine cannot afford an informal reform process dictated only by rigid deadlines. We need structured, high-quality decisions and the preservation of strong momentum in the negotiation process. I hope we will soon be able to take the next step and open the first Negotiating Clusters,” the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.
She also expressed gratitude to representatives of the European Commission, the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR), and members of the Ukrainian team for their daily work bringing Ukraine closer to EU membership.
During the July 8–9 screening, Ukrainian experts will present the country’s progress in the following areas:
- Energy efficiency;
- Energy efficiency of buildings;
- Gas markets;
- Security of supply;
- Renewable energy sources;
- Trans-European networks;
- Electricity markets;
- Energy labelling and ecodesign;
- Nuclear energy.
Participants in the screening include Deputy Minister of Energy of Ukraine Mykola Kolisnyk, Deputy Minister of Energy for Digital Development, Digital Transformations and Digitalisation Roman Andarak, representatives of the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine, the National Energy and Utilities Regulatory Commission (NEURC), Ukrgazvydobuvannya, Ukrenergo, the State Agency for Energy Efficiency and Energy Saving of Ukraine, among others.
Negotiating Chapter 15 “Energy” covers EU policies aimed at enhancing competitiveness, ensuring security of energy supply, and protecting the environment. The EU acquis in this field consists of rules and policies related to competition and state aid (including in the coal sector), the internal energy market (liberalisation of electricity and gas markets, promotion of renewable energy), energy efficiency, nuclear energy, nuclear safety, and radiation protection.
Chapter 21 “Trans-European Networks” encompasses EU policy on trans-European networks in the areas of transport, telecommunications, and energy infrastructure, including EU guidelines for the development of trans-European networks and support measures for projects of common interest. The creation and development of trans-European networks, as well as promoting proper interconnection and interoperability of national networks, aim to fully exploit the benefits of the EU Internal Market and contribute to economic growth and job creation within the European Union.
