The Path to the EU Is Clear: Hungary Lifts Its Veto, and Ukraine Prepares to Open New Negotiation Clusters with the EU

The Verkhovna Rada is diligently doing its job, so Budapest is no longer blocking progress, and Kyiv is preparing for the next important step on the path to the EU. As early as October 13, Ukraine and the European Union may officially launch negotiations on two key areas at once: “Internal Market” and “Competitiveness.”

While Ukraine is overcoming bureaucratic barriers, Brussels itself is simultaneously revising the rules for enlargement. To find out what exactly is behind this decision, why the lifting of the Hungarian veto is only part of the story, and how the EU is updating its enlargement methodology – read on in this report from Channel 24.

Two clusters to open this week, the rest by the end of the year

The European Union is preparing to launch negotiations on two new clusters at once for Ukraine and Moldova. The process could begin as early as Tuesday, October 13, during the General Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg.

This was preceded by lengthy delays: after two years of a Hungarian veto, the first negotiation cluster, “Fundamentals,” for Ukraine and Moldova was officially opened only on June 15 in Luxembourg. Then, on July 14, the EU unblocked the sixth cluster for Ukraine, which concerns external relations.

The opening of the next two clusters was again postponed for two months due to Budapest’s stance. Hungary promised to lift its veto only after the Verkhovna Rada adopted a bill on the educational rights of national minorities. The vote in the Ukrainian parliament took place on October 12 – on the eve of the meeting in Luxembourg.

Recognizing the importance of the moment, the members of parliament did not disappoint: even before lunchtime, Bill No. 16119 on the educational rights of national minorities was adopted – with 273 votes as a basis and 266 votes in favor of the bill as a whole. After the vote, Verkhovna Rada Speaker Stefanchuk signed the document, and it was sent to President Zelenskyy for his signature, who also acted promptly.

The urgency can easily be explained by a statement from European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos. Last week, Ms. Kos outlined an action plan and a procedure that will be triggered by the decision of Ukrainian lawmakers:

As soon as this happens, member states will have to expedite the procedure. But yes, it is possible that we will open the next two clusters for Moldova and Ukraine next week during the IGC (Intergovernmental Conference – Channel 24). We hope to open two more clusters for Moldova very soon. And all of them – by the end of the year.

The Ukrainian economy is transitioning to European standards

The opening of clusters 2 and 3 effectively marks a transition to negotiations on the very foundations of the European Union: economic integration, the single market, and competition. If we set aside the bureaucratic language, Ukraine is taking a step toward ensuring its economy operates under uniform European rules, while domestic businesses gain real tools to operate in the EU market.

In practice, this will trigger profound changes in several areas at once. In trade, the harmonization of product standards, technical requirements, and certification procedures will begin, removing key regulatory barriers. The services sector will gain easier access to the single market thanks to the creation of a level playing field, while new rules for financial transactions will bring capital flows closer to European norms, making the banking and investment systems more transparent. Consumers, meanwhile, will experience a shift toward stricter EU standards in the areas of consumer protection and product safety.

However, the mere opening of this negotiation chapter does not automatically change anything. Ahead lies painstaking work not only on passing laws but also on their actual implementation.

One of the most challenging tasks will be reforming the competition and state aid system. Ukraine must establish transparent oversight to ensure that state subsidies and preferential treatment do not distort the market. As VoxUkraine analysts note in a study on Ukraine’s preparedness for EU requirements, this will require restoring comprehensive accounting and oversight of state support, which will be critically important during the post-war economic recovery.

At the same time, manufacturers will have to invest in modernization, new documentation, and demonstrating compliance with EU technical regulations. This will entail additional costs but will, in turn, open up direct access to the EU market. Ultimately, integration will also intensify competition within individual sectors. For example, a study by the French institute IDDRI on the impact of Ukraine’s accession on the EU’s agricultural sector suggests that the arrival of Ukrainian products will put pressure on European producers of grains and oilseeds.

At the same time, European livestock farmers stand to benefit from such cooperation, as they will gain access to a cheaper feed supply. We already witnessed the first wave of farmer protests in Europe three years ago, when Ukrainian grain, corn, sugar, and poultry entered the EU market duty-free and without restrictions. The lower production costs of our products at that time sparked panic among local farmers, who feared dumping and falling prices. However, in the long term, this difference will fade: the transition to strict EU standards – from environmental requirements to restrictions on pesticides – will inevitably raise production costs in Ukraine as well.

In their 2025 study of Ukraine’s economy, OECD analysts clearly identify the main constraints:

• complex tax administration;
• a high share of the informal economy;
• the lack of a level playing field.

Negotiations on this cluster effectively force Ukraine to address these issues so that businesses can compete on the basis of efficiency rather than through informal advantages or “gray” schemes.

A separate set of issues concerns labor law. Ukraine must bring its regulations on working conditions, workplace safety, and worker protection up to European standards. For employers, this will mean stricter requirements and the need to adapt, while for employees, it will mean more effective legal protections.

Why Hungary Lifted Its Veto

Last week, Hungary – setting aside threatening statements – nevertheless gave the “green light” at the COREPER level (the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the EU Member States) to open two clusters. The impetus for this was the registration in the Verkhovna Rada of a draft law on regulating the educational rights of national communities, which has already been approved by the relevant parliamentary committee.

As Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhiy Tykhyi noted, Budapest is currently adhering to its part of the agreements, while Kyiv is consistently fulfilling its commitments.

“We expect to be able to do this soon – two clusters fairly quickly, and two more clusters by the end of the year. That is the timeline we see from the Ukrainian side,” the Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated.

For years, Budapest has held Ukraine’s European integration on hold, traditionally using the issue of national minorities to blackmail both Brussels and Kyiv. However, after the parties agreed back in June to expand the linguistic, educational, and cultural rights of the Hungarian community, the process broke the deadlock. Hungarian diplomats promised to lift their veto if Ukraine enshrined these provisions in law.

On October 12, Ukraine did its "homework" / infographic – Verkhovna Rada

A key step was Bill No. 16119, which the Verkhovna Rada adopted on October 12. The document guarantees the right to education in the languages of national minorities and indigenous peoples in schools and specialized classes, the preservation of their culture, history, and traditions, as well as the option to have educational documents translated into the minority language at the parents’ request. Furthermore, schools where the majority of students are taught in the languages of EU national minorities will receive official special status. At the same time, the state language remains the primary language of instruction, and parents will be able to request in writing that the list of subjects taught in Ukrainian be expanded.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejects any accusations regarding “concessions” to Budapest. According to spokesperson Tykhyi, the document is not a specific concession to Hungary, but rather harmonizes Ukrainian regulations with general EU standards.

So, to answer your question about whether we’re sacrificing anything or giving anything (away – Channel 24) – no, I don’t think so. “It seems to me that our strength lies in our diversity, and respect for national minorities is part of that strength,” said Heorhiy Tykhyi.

The European Union may change its accession rules

Meanwhile, Brussels itself is considering a reform of EU enlargement, which is intended to accelerate the accession of new countries while safeguarding the Union from internal crises. As European Commissioner Marta Kos announced last week, the European Commission is proposing to abolish the principle of unanimity and switch to qualified majority voting at intermediate stages – in particular, when opening negotiation chapters, where the right of veto currently prevails.

Such discussions have been taking place behind the scenes for quite some time, but this is the first time they have been brought to the official level.

At the same time, the European Commission continues to prioritize “gradual integration”: candidate countries, including Ukraine, will be able to join the energy, transportation, artificial intelligence, and defense markets ahead of schedule, even before full accession. At the same time, Brussels is implementing strict safeguards: having learned from disputes with Budapest and Warsaw, the Commission plans to freeze funding and revoke voting rights for new members in the event of a rollback of reforms or violations of the rule of law.

The document also draws attention to Ukraine’s agricultural sector, whose scale and capacity are causing concern among European farmers. Brussels plans to introduce special restrictions on sensitive agricultural products, while helping Kyiv reorient itself toward traditional third-country markets.

The parties will discuss these parameters in detail in a few weeks, ahead of the launch of the agricultural cluster. As Kos emphasized, Ukraine will definitely be part of the EU and its agricultural policy, but the terms still need to be agreed upon. EU leaders will discuss these European Commission initiatives at a conceptual level for the first time at the summit on October 15–16, 2026, in Brussels.