The European Union (EU) on Monday launched the procedure for examining the membership applications of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, announced the French Presidency of the Council of the EU.
The 3 countries filed their request following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The European Commission will have to express an official opinion and the 27 members will then have to decide whether to grant candidate status to the applicants, before long and complex negotiations.
The European Commission took two years to deliver its opinion after Romania’s application for membership.
The representatives of the Member States in Brussels have reached “an agreement to invite the European Commission to present an opinion on each of the applications for EU membership presented by Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova”, specified the Presidency on his Twitter account.
A written procedure was launched on Monday to “have validated” by the Member States “the draft letters intended to seek the opinion of the European Commission”, adds the message.
Long process
Several Member States have supported the approach of the three countries, but the procedure is long and accession requires unanimity.
“We will discuss Ukraine’s membership application in the coming days,” European Council President Charles Michel said in a Twitter message on Monday after another meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The Ukrainian president urges Europeans to integrate his country “without delay”. But there is no procedure for this.
Integration into the EU is a long-term process to bring the legislation of the candidate country closer to European law. It requires complex negotiations on many subjects and criteria that are difficult to meet for a country at war, such as political stability and a functioning market economy.
A new EU accession procedure has been adopted. It is stricter and reversible, with the possibility of suspending or stopping negotiations with candidates.
Five countries are officially recognized as candidates for membership of the European Union: Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey.