European Commission weighs special agricultural terms for Ukraine ahead of EU accession

The European Commission is considering distinct agricultural terms for Ukraine as part of the opening of the final remaining cluster in its EU accession negotiations. The announcement came from Marta Kos, European Commissioner for Enlargement, on 6 October following a European Commission meeting in Strasbourg, as reported by European Pravda.

Presenting a draft of new approaches to enlargement, Kos said arrangements could be agreed for Ukraine that differ from those applied to other candidate countries. According to her, the scale, structure and notably high productivity of Ukraine's agricultural sector require targeted solutions limited to sensitive agricultural products.

Not a separate membership category

Although these adjustments are being proposed exclusively for Ukraine, Kos emphasized that this should not be viewed as a separate form of EU membership, even as the specific conditions for Ukraine remain unique. Ukraine will be incorporated into the EU's common agricultural policy, though the precise terms of that arrangement are still to be worked out.

Kos added that Ukraine's accession must not harm EU farmers, while the bloc also wants to help Ukraine regain access to the export markets it historically served outside the EU.

The commissioner did not disclose further details of the proposal but noted that discussions with Ukraine on the matter are already under way. She expressed hope that greater clarity would emerge within a few weeks, allowing the European Commission to reach a decision on Ukraine as it prepares to open Cluster 5.

It was previously reported that Kos intends to open two additional negotiating clusters for Ukraine and Moldova next week, and that candidate countries could be granted European commissioners even before formally joining the EU.