The European Union has formally opened the first cluster of accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, the most significant step in either country’s membership bid since talks were launched in 2024.
All 27 member states gave their unanimous backing to opening the so-called fundamentals cluster at an intergovernmental conference in Luxembourg on June 15.
The cluster covers the rule of law, fundamental rights, the functioning of democratic institutions and public administration reform, alongside economic criteria. It is the first group of chapters to open in any accession process and, because it concerns core reforms, usually the last to close.
