What is happening with Ukraine's accession to the EU? - opinion
The negotiating position with the EU will not be solely about implementing EU legislation in Ukraine.
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The latest headlines in Politico are an excellent illustration of the processes that have begun in the EU since our accession to the European Union became a reality. The summit in Granada, Spain, has brought to the surface the essence of intra-European discussions. We need to keep an eye on them, because their content will soon become a challenging negotiating position for the EU.
This negotiation position will not be limited to the implementation of EU legislation in Ukraine, as we have been used to before. It will be challenging and cynical and will not be determined by our "European ambitions" and traditional megalomania in our plans.
Why am I so sure of this?
Former European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker's statement about corruption will undoubtedly become a demand for verification: "How does Ukraine apply the EU requirements in its legislation? Doesn't business sometimes circumvent them by simply paying bribes?"
It is about defining our place and contribution to the EU
The story concerning the calculations of the amounts of money from the EU budget needed after Ukraine's accession raises the question: "How will EU states that will lose billions of dollars in subsidies compensate themselves?" Or: "What will Ukraine contribute to the economies of these countries?" There are no answers to these questions, but they have already been raised clearly and will not disappear after the negotiations. One solution is that companies from these countries will be able to make money in Ukraine. This will have to be discussed.
The classic structure of the negotiations, developed by the EU over the years, will be more of a formal facade. The most interesting factor will be the demands made at the "technical level." We are talking about tax rates that need to be brought to the EU level, the ownership structure of large companies with wishes to have shareholders from the EU, etc...
Read also: EU to sign off on Ukraine membership talks in December — report
We can approve all the necessary laws and formally fulfill the requirements in 2 years, as it is currently defined. But as long as the EU does not receive answers to more profound questions, our accession to the EU will either be slowed down or will take place on conditions that will finally put the remnants of Ukrainian business on the back foot.
Even the formula "EU reform first, then Ukraine's accession" is also about the requirements for us. It's about more than just changing the rules to speed up the decision on Ukraine's accession. It is about defining our place and contribution to the EU.
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