Ukraine passes screening for a key chapter on its path to EU: Details
Illustrative photo: The screening became an important step on the path to the EU (facebook.com/UA.EU.NATO)
At the beginning of this week, on April 28–29, an official screening of the compliance of Ukrainian legislation with EU standards in the Entrepreneurship and Industrial Policy section took place in Brussels. Ukraine successfully passed it, according to the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine.
Preparation for the screening lasted several months. It involved cooperation between the structural units of the Ministry of Economy, relevant government bodies, and the Government Office for Coordination of Ukraine's European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.
During the screening, the Ministry of Economy team presented progress in the following areas:
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Industrial policy development – modernization of industrial ecosystems, implementation of Smart Specialisation principles, and support for the green transformation of production.
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Support for small and medium-sized businesses – participation in the EU Single Market Program, promoting cluster development, and simplifying access to financing.
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Light industry development – support for enterprises maintaining production, exports, and jobs under wartime conditions, as well as the implementation of circular economy principles.
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Corporate sustainability and business responsibility – harmonization of policies with European corporate responsibility and sustainable development standards.
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Deregulation and digitalization – simplification of regulation and development of digital services for businesses.
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Social economy development – support for enterprises focused on social needs and community recovery.
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Steel industry recovery – presentation of plans for rebuilding production capacities and integration into European supply chains.
Positive assessment by the European Commission
According to Deputy Minister of Economy Andriy Teliupa, Ukraine presented practical tools for supporting Ukrainian businesses and industrial development during the screening.
"The European Commission positively assessed the systematism of our approaches, the real results of already active programs, and Ukraine's progress in adapting policies to EU standards," Teliupa noted.
The European Commission highlighted the high level of preparation of the Ukrainian delegation. However, there are still issues that require additional attention, such as the faster implementation of the Directive on Late Payments.
Ukraine's accession to the EU
Since the beginning of the full-scale war with Russia, Ukraine has made significant progress on its path to EU membership. In particular, last year, the leaders of the EU member states approved the start of accession negotiations with Ukraine.
According to Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, Ukraine and the EU have already completed the bilateral screening for three negotiation clusters: Foundations, Internal Market, and External Relations. Additionally, in 2025, Ukraine hopes to open all six negotiation clusters for accession at once.
Shmyhal is confident that the screenings will be successful and that "Ukraine will become an EU member immediately after the end of the full-scale war."
