The Republic of Moldova could make faster progress than Ukraine in negotiations to join the European Union. Chișinău could provisionally close talks on more than 20 policy areas in 2027. By comparison, Ukraine has been set targets for provisionally completing negotiations in just seven areas. The difference is highlighted in a European Commission document obtained by POLITICO.
This gap could lead to an increasingly clear separation of the European paths of the two countries, whose EU candidacies have so far progressed in parallel. Moldova is therefore considered to be in a more favourable position to move towards EU membership at an accelerated pace.
However, the European Commission has not committed to a specific deadline for concluding accession negotiations for either Moldova or Ukraine.
In Ukraine’s case, Brussels is calling for faster reforms in the rule of law. Meeting the key requirements in this area during the first half of 2027 is considered a condition for provisionally closing negotiations in certain chapters.
The areas in which Ukraine could provisionally conclude negotiations next year include education and culture, intellectual property, employment and social policy, industrial policy, research, external relations, and foreign and security policy.
Another European Commission objective is to open the two remaining negotiating clusters for Ukraine by the end of 2026: Cluster Four, covering the green agenda and sustainable connectivity, and Cluster Five, concerning resources, agriculture and cohesion.
Moldova is among a group of four countries for which the European Union is preparing roadmaps, due to be presented on November 4.
Moldova and Ukraine were granted EU candidate status in June 2022, while official accession negotiations were launched simultaneously in June 2024. In October, the two countries opened talks on areas covering the internal market, competitiveness and economic growth.
The European Commission stresses that accession requires national legislation and institutions to be aligned with EU standards across all 35 negotiating chapters. In Ukraine’s case, the war launched by Russia further complicates the reform process and the implementation of the necessary legislation.