Ukraine has taken a new step towards membership in the European Union by starting talks on internal market standards and competitiveness. This was stated by Irish Minister of State for European Affairs and Defense Thomas Byrne, quoted by Reuters, after Hungary withdrew its objections, BTA reports.
The government in Budapest supported progress in the negotiation process after the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada adopted a law regulating the language rights of national minorities in the field of education. This issue was among the topics on which Hungary insisted on changes.
Joining the EU usually requires complex negotiations that last years. In the case of Ukraine, the process is further complicated by the ongoing war.
The negotiations are being conducted on individual chapters of European policies, grouped into six thematic clusters. They cover a variety of areas, including fundamental rights, the EU's internal market and external relations.
In June, the European Union launched negotiations with Ukraine on the first set of political issues, including the judiciary and the functioning of democratic institutions. In July, the two countries also started talks on the cluster related to external relations.