On 30 September 2025, Ukraine and the European Commission completed the official screening of Ukrainian legislation for compliance with EU law. The final bilateral session was devoted to the review of Section 22, ‘Regional Policy and Coordination of Structural Instruments,’ within Cluster 5, ‘Resources, Agriculture and Cohesion.’

During the final screening, nine presentations on regional policy were given, covering topics ranging from the organisation of power at all levels to specific tools for territorial development. Particular attention was paid to the impact of the war on territorial development approaches, with four types of territory being identified depending on the security situation. Special support programmes were created for communities on the front line. Currently, 93 per cent of communities are covered by the strategic planning process, more than half of which already have approved development strategies coordinated with each other. Decisions on project financing are based on these strategies.

 

 

During the presentations, the practical experience of cooperating with the EU through 276 Interreg programme projects worth EUR 105 million was demonstrated. Digital transparency systems, such as DREAM for reconstruction and Prozorro for procurement, were presented. The work of anti-corruption bodies and the system for monitoring territorial development through geoinformation tools was also disclosed.

‘This is a historic step on the path to the European Union. I am grateful to the large team at the Ministry for Development, the Government, and our international partners. Thanks to their dedication and professionalism, we were able to complete the screening in record time and prove that Ukraine is ready for the next stage of European integration,’ said Oleksii Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine – Minister for Development of Communities and Territories.

The screening process between Ukraine and the European Commission lasted 15 months and was one of the fastest ever conducted with countries applying for EU membership.

 

 

The bilateral meetings lasted a total of 66 days. During this time:

• 34 meetings were held between Ukraine and the European Commission
• Over 700 presentations were given within 6 negotiation clusters
• Responses to European Commission questionnaires totalling over 9,000 pages were provided
• Representatives from over 70 state authorities were involved.

‘The completion of the screening process is one of the most important achievements for Ukraine on its path to EU accession and the result of almost a year of intensive work by a large Ukrainian team. I would like to sincerely thank everyone who contributed to this large-scale process. The presentations covered a wide range of areas, including the economy, human resources, administrative capacity, anti-corruption policy, transparency, accountability, and publicity. The European Commission’s screening reports will form our action plan for the coming years, ensuring the harmonisation of national legislation with the acquis of the European Union. This will be a joint effort involving all levels of authority, from local to national,’ said Oleksii Riabykin, Deputy Minister for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine.

The successful completion of the screening was achieved through coordinated collaboration with international partners, including DG REGIO, DG ENER, the OECD, the Ministry of Funds and Regional Development of the Republic of Poland, the ULEAD Programme, the Ukraine2EU Programme and the 3*E4U Project, as well as numerous other international partners and national experts.

The European Commission has already provided Ukraine with reports on the screening of Clusters 1, 3 and 6. Reports on Clusters 4 and 5 are expected shortly. These documents will form the basis of the National Programme for the Adoption of the Acquis (NPAA), which outlines the specific steps and deadlines for implementing European standards.

The European Commission, the European Parliament and 26 EU member states have recognised that Ukraine has fulfilled the conditions necessary for the opening of Cluster 1. The country is currently continuing political dialogue in order to secure the backing of all 27 EU member states.

At the same time, and without waiting for negotiations on Clusters to officially open, Ukraine will continue to adapt its legislation to EU norms and standards. This will enable rapid progress once negotiations on the Clusters officially begin.

To ensure transparency throughout the process, a monitoring system called ‘Accession Pulse’ has been developed. This system allows government agencies and the public to track Ukraine's progress towards EU membership in real time.