The European Commission has published its analytical reports regarding the capacity of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia to assume EU membership obligations, also showing where these three countries stand related to their alignment with the EU acquis.
The recent report has complemented the Opinions on the three countries’ applications for the European Union membership adopted by the EU Commission in June last year, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
Previously, the Council granted a European perspective for these three countries as well as the candidate status for both Ukraine and Moldova, following the Opinions which specify the number of priorities to be addressed regarding the issue.
“The Commission evaluated the level of approximation of the EU acquis on the basis of the replies to the questionnaires from the three applicant countries, as well as relevant information obtained in the framework of the intensive dialogues carried out over many years under the Association Agreements, including the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Areas (AA/DCFTA), to assess their implementation,” the statement reads.
It was also reported that all three applicants were assessed based on the same criteria, taking also into account their own merits.
The Commission stressed that the recent analytic reports show a snapshot of the situation regarding the capacity of these countries to fulfil the obligations of European Union membership. In addition, the Commission notes that these reports provide valuable guidance regarding the work ahead under the different acquis chapters.
According to the announcement provided by the official website of the European Union, it was also emphasised that the European Commission will continue to support these countries in this regard and further align to the European Union standards as well as norms covering all EU acquis.
In addition, the Commission also emphasised that it will continue to report regarding the progress made by Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova in order to address the reform priorities identified in the Opinions as part of the Enlargement package due in the autumn.
In June last year, the majority of the Members of the European Parliament urged the EU countries to grant the candidate status to these three countries, thus opening the path to accession for these three countries.
Based on a press release provided by the European Parliament last year, during the plenary debate with the French Presidency as well as Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, almost all speakers urged for the EU to grant the status to Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia, while some of them reminded Georgians that their path wouldn’t be short for them after the reform in this regard is needed, according to them.
Previously, the Prime Minister of Ukraine, Denys Shmyhal, expressed his hopes that his country would be a member of the European Union in the next two years.
Ukraine gained the EU candidate status at the end of last year, as well as Moldova, while Georgia was promised that it would be granted the candidate status once it meets all the needed requirements.
