The European Commission is preparing special conditions for Ukraine’s accession to the EU: what restrictions may be introduced

The European Commission is preparing a new model for EU enlargement, which may include special conditions for Ukraine after membership. In particular, Kyiv may be restricted from accessing the EU agricultural market and agricultural subsidies.

This is reported by the Financial Times .

The relevant proposals are contained in an internal European Commission document, which journalists have reviewed. The document is currently a draft, being discussed by senior European Commission officials, and approval of the proposals is scheduled for Tuesday.

Agriculture is considered one of the most sensitive issues in Ukraine’s future EU membership in Brussels. According to journalists, the European Commission is considering granting Ukraine limited access to the agricultural market and the system of agricultural subsidies, on which the EU spends about 55 billion euros annually.

The reason for such proposals is the scale of Ukrainian agricultural production. Poland, France and Italy fear the possible consequences of the significant volume of Ukrainian grain and oilseeds for the European market.

The European Commission document notes that the scale and structure of the Ukrainian agricultural sector and its productivity may provide the basis for special mechanisms that would limit financial support and market access for individual Ukrainian agricultural products, in particular wheat and other grains.

At the same time, Brussels offers to support Ukraine in restoring access to traditional global export markets, the supply of which has been significantly affected by the Russian war.

In addition to the agricultural sector, the European Commission proposes linking the financial benefits of membership to the implementation of legal and financial reforms. Access to EU funds for new states may depend on progress in implementing specific reforms.

According to the draft, monitoring of the implementation of obligations may continue after the country joins the EU. The possibility of financial and legislative sanctions in the event of serious violations that could threaten the functioning of the European Union is also being considered.

The European Commission also wants to change the procedure under Article 7 of the EU Treaty, which allows a member state to be deprived of certain rights, including the right to vote. The mechanism is proposed to be made simpler to apply.

Ukraine, Moldova, Montenegro and Albania are named in the document as countries that have made the most progress on their path to EU membership. The European Commission proposes to prepare individual accession roadmaps for them without setting a specific date for membership.

Brussels is also considering the possibility of gradual integration of candidate countries into EU programs and policies even before formal accession, particularly in the areas of defense, energy, and transport.

A representative of the European Commission declined to comment on the content of the document. The Office of the Prime Minister of Ukraine and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine also did not provide journalists with comments.