The EU formally opened the second and third negotiating clusters for Ukraine on October 13, 2026. This follows a unanimous agreement by all 27 member states on October 12, after Ukraine adopted a minority education law.
The European Union formally opened the second and third negotiating clusters for Ukraine’s accession process on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026. The decision follows a unanimous agreement by all 27 member states on Monday, Oct. 12, to advance the talks, which had been stalled by a Hungarian veto.
The opening of the clusters was confirmed by Thomas Byrne, Ireland’s Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU. According to The New Voice of Ukraine, Byrne stated on Oct. 12, "I can confirm that all EU member states have agreed to open clusters 2 and 3 for Ukraine and Moldova."
The agreement came shortly after the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s parliament, adopted amendments to education legislation on Oct. 12. This law addresses the rights of national minorities, a key demand from Hungary, which had blocked the opening of these clusters four times, most recently on Sept. 8. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha thanked Hungary for its "constructive position" on the issue, noting that Ukraine is "fulfilling our obligations."
The EU accession process is divided into six thematic clusters covering 33 to 35 chapters of legislation, depending on the source's count of specific chapters. The newly opened clusters cover significant economic and regulatory areas:
Opening a cluster allows negotiations to proceed on these policy areas but does not imply that Ukraine has completed the necessary reforms. Individual chapters are provisionally closed only when the EU determines conditions are met.
With Clusters 2 and 3 now open, only two clusters remain to be launched: Cluster 4 (Green Agenda and Sustainable Interconnectivity) and Cluster 5 (Resources, Agriculture and Cohesion). Cluster 1 (Fundamentals) was opened on June 15, 2026, and Cluster 6 (External Relations) was opened on July 14, 2026.
Ireland aims to open the remaining clusters before its presidency ends. "The presidency’s ambitious goal is to open the remaining clusters," Byrne said, according to Interfax-Ukraine. He added that while some member states still have reservations, his team is working to address them.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated in his evening address on Oct. 13 that Ukraine plans to launch all six negotiation clusters by the end of this year. Vselovod Chentsov, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, said Kyiv sees "no obstacles" to opening the final two clusters this year, despite ongoing discussions about agricultural subsidies.
This development marks a significant breakthrough in Ukraine’s path toward EU membership, ending a months-long diplomatic deadlock with Hungary. By aligning its education laws with European standards, Ukraine has removed a major political obstacle, allowing the technical negotiation process to accelerate. The focus now shifts to the remaining clusters, particularly agriculture, where sensitive issues regarding subsidies and market access remain unresolved.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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