Taras Kachka on EU Talks: Adopted Decisions Pave the Way for New Negotiation Clusters

UkrAgroConsult

Ukraine continues to advance its preparations for negotiations on accession to the European Union. According to Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Taras Kachka, the progress of this work can be observed live during open sessions of the Verkhovna Rada.

Parliament has adopted the law on establishing a Paying Agency in the agricultural sector (No. 13202-1) — a key institution for implementing the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Through this agency, farmers will receive subsidies, aligning Ukraine’s agricultural support system with EU standards. The creation of the agency was one of the main priorities identified during the screening process under Chapter 11 of the negotiations.

In addition, lawmakers approved in the first reading Bill No. 14048, aimed at strengthening legality and transparency in the work of local self-government bodies. Kachka emphasized that this initiative is an essential part of decentralization and regional policy, corresponding to Chapter 22 of the negotiation framework. Effective oversight, he noted, increases trust in local authorities and expands Ukraine’s participation in EU regional policy and infrastructure programs that support balanced regional development.

The Deputy Prime Minister also recalled that open parliamentary sessions are part of the Roadmap on the Functioning of Democratic Institutions, a cornerstone element of Cluster 1 in the EU accession talks. Ukraine is already implementing the measures outlined in the roadmap, without waiting for the formal opening of the cluster, staying true to its principle of maintaining uninterrupted progress.

“We expect that EU member states will soon finalize their negotiation positions under each cluster so that formal negotiations can begin across all areas by the end of this year,” Kachka concluded.

Tags: Ukraine, EU, agricultural sector