Accession of Ukraine to the European Union

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Ukrainian EU accession bid
European Union Ukraine Locator.svg
Status
Applicant
Legislative questionnaire presented, 8 Apr 2022
Applied28 February 2022
Website
Progress
Applied
Statistical Comparison
EU averageUkraine
Population16,555,83741,167,336 (excl. Crimea)
Area156,417 km2
60,393 mi2		603,628 km2
233,062 mi2
GDP$634 billion
nominal, 2021 est.
$742 billion
PPP, 2021 est.		$181 billion
nominal, 2021 est.
$584 billion
PPP, 2021 est.
GDP per capita $34,149
nominal, 2021 est.
$44,766
PPP, 2021 est. 		$4,380
nominal, 2021 est.
$14,150
PPP, year est.
HDI0.8950.779
Gini30.226.6
Differences upon EU Accession
Entire EU
EU Population488,174,932
Increase 9.2%
EU Area4,836,890 km2
1,867,534 mi2
Increase 14.3%
New Official LanguagesUkrainian
HDI
Gini
Average EU Member
Avg. EU Member Population17,434,819
Increase 5.3%
Avg. EU Member Area172,389 km2
66,560 mi2
Increase 10.2%
GDP
GDP per capita

On 28 February 2022, shortly after it was invaded by Russia, Ukraine applied for membership of the European Union (EU). Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy requested immediate admission under a "new special procedure",[1] and the presidents of eight EU states called for an accelerated accession process.[2] European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen stated that she supports Ukrainian accession, but that the process would take time.[1] On 1 March 2022, the European Parliament recommended that Ukraine be made an official membership candidate,[3] and on 10 March 2022, the Council of the European Union asked the Commission for its opinion on the application.[4] On 8 April 2022, von der Leyen presented Zelenskyy with a legislative questionnaire.[5]

Background[edit]

The European Union–Ukraine Association Agreement was signed in 2014 after a series of events that had stalled its ratification culminated in a revolution in Ukraine and overthrow of the then incumbent President of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych.[6] The Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area with Ukraine came into force on 1 September 2017 after being provisionally applied since 1 January 2016,[7] and the Association Agreement fully came into force on 1 September 2017.[8] On 24 February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, leading to the membership application.

Application[edit]

Following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, there were additional calls to start a formal accession process: Ukraine reiterated its desire to become a member of the union,[9] and European Commission president von der Leyen stated that Ukraine belongs in the European Union.[10] Slovak prime minister Eduard Heger expressed support for an accelerated accession process.[11]

On 28 February, Ukraine officially submitted a letter of application for membership.[1] Due to the ongoing crisis, President Zelenskyy requested immediate admission to the European Union under a special procedure.[1][12] On the same day, eight EU states signed a letter supporting an accelerated accession process for Ukraine,[13] and on 1 March, Hungarian foreign minister Péter Szijjártó stated his country would also support an accelerated process.[14] On 1 March, the European Parliament, following a debate in which the President of Ukraine addressed and received applause, recommended that Ukraine be made an official candidate for EU membership.[15] The European Parliament voted to advance Ukraine's membership with 637 in favour, 13 against, and 26 abstained.[16][17] On 2 March, however, Spanish foreign minister José Manuel Albares stated that "belonging to the EU is not a capricious process or one that can be done by a mere political decision", reminding that the candidate country "must meet certain social, political and economic standards".[18]

On 10 March 2022, the Council of the European Union asked the Commission for its opinion on the application.[4]

On 8 April 2022, Commission president von der Leyen, after visiting Bucha in the aftermath of the massacre, visited Kyiv and met with President Zelenskyy. Von der Leyen presented Zelenskyy with paperwork to begin Ukraine's application and offered to fast-track the process.[5]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d Treisman, Rachel (28 February 2022). "Ukraine wants to join the EU. Here's how that would work". NPR. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  2. ^ "Presidents of 8 EU states call for immediate talks on Ukrainian membership". Reuters. 28 February 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  3. ^ "Європарламент рекомендував надати Україні статус кандидата на вступ до ЄС" [The European Parliament has recommended that Ukraine be granted EU candidate status]. www.eurointegration.com.ua (in Ukrainian). 1 March 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  4. ^ a b European Council (11 March 2022). "Statement of the heads of state or government, meeting in Versailles, on the Russian military aggression against Ukraine, 10 March 2022". Consilium (in Bulgarian, Spanish, Czech, Danish, German, Estonian, Greek, English, French, Irish, Croatian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Hungarian, Maltese, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Finnish, Swedish, and Russian). Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Ukraine: EU chief offers Kyiv fast track to membership". DW. 8 April 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  6. ^ "Ukraine crisis: EU signs association deal". BBC News. 21 March 2014. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  7. ^ "Ukraine - Trade". European Commission. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  8. ^ "Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and Ukraine, of the other part". Consilium (in Bulgarian, Spanish, Czech, Danish, German, Estonian, Greek, English, French, Irish, Croatian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Hungarian, Maltese, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Finnish, and Swedish). Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  9. ^ "As Russia invades, Ukraine makes appeal for EU membership". Politico. 26 February 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  10. ^ "Ukraine belongs in EU, Commission chief von der Leyen says". Politico. 28 February 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  11. ^ "Slovakia pushes for 'special track' for Ukraine toward joining EU". Politico. 27 February 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  12. ^ "Zelenskiy Calls For Ukraine's Immediate EU Membership But Bloc Cool On Idea". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  13. ^ "Presidents of 8 EU states call for immediate talks on Ukrainian membership". Reuters. Warsaw. 28 February 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  14. ^ "Hungary supports bid for Ukraine to become EU member, says minister". Reuters. Budapest. 1 March 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  15. ^ "The European Parliament has recommended that Ukraine be granted EU candidate status". eurointegration (in Ukrainian). 1 March 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  16. ^ "European Parliament Votes to Advance Ukraine's Application for EU Membership". National Review. 1 March 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  17. ^ "Here Are the Members of Parliament Who Voted to Deny Ukraine's EU Admission". MSN. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  18. ^ "Ucrania reclama a España que apoye de forma "explícita" la reivindicación de adhesión a la UE" [Ukraine appeals for Spain to "explicitly" support the request for accession to the EU]. Europa Press (in Spanish). 28 February 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
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