The European Union (EU) has opened two more groups of chapters in Ukraine's accession negotiations on the internal market and competitiveness, leaving only two chapters unopened.
© Reuters
13/10/2026
by
Lusa
A The European Union (EU) has today decided to open two more groups of chapters in Ukraine's accession negotiations on the internal market and competitiveness, with only two missing.
In a statement, the EU Council noted that the opening of these two new chapters groups is an “important step in Ukraine’s accession process” to the European bloc.
The internal market group, known as ‘cluster’ 2, comprises a total of nine chapters of the accession negotiations covering the free movement of goods, capital and workers, intellectual property and consumer protection laws.
The second group of chapters opened today (cluster 3), on competitiveness and “inclusive growth”, covers eight chapters, including monetary and economic policy, taxes, education and culture, science and research or social and labour policy.
Cited in the statement, Thomas Byrne, Irish Minister for European Affairs – a country currently holding the six-monthly rotating presidency of the EU Council – considered that the Member States have today reached “an important stage in Ukraine’s path towards accession” to the European bloc.
“The Irish presidency is committed to advancing Ukraine’s accession to the EU. Today’s decision demonstrates Ukraine’s resilience and determination to continue with reforms despite extremely difficult circumstances,” the Irish Minister praised.
The EU accession negotiations are composed of six groups of chapters.
The EU had already opened two groups of chapters of Ukraine’s accession negotiations in the summer – on foreign policy and fundamental rights – so only two more are missing: one on agriculture and cohesion and the other on environmental policy and connectivity.
The EU formalised the opening of Ukraine's accession negotiations in June.
The formal start of these negotiations was made possible by the change of government in Hungary, with the new Prime Minister, Péter Magyar, raising the veto imposed for two years by his predecessor, Viktor Orbán, who opposed support measures to Kyiv.
Ukraine submitted its application for EU membership shortly after the start of the Russian invasion on 24 February 2022. He then received candidate status in June of that year.