Appeal to the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of EU Member States

15 April 2025 

Ensuring Consensus among EU Member States about the opening of Cluster 1, Fundamentals, for Ukraine

Your Excellencies, Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the EU Member States, with deep respect for ongoing efforts to support Ukraine’s EU membership, we would like to appeal to you with a request to reinforce efforts towards building a consensus among EU Member States for the opening of Cluster 1, Fundamentals, for Ukraine.

We firmly believe that European integration instruments have proved to be effective and have transformative power for Ukraine. The signing of the Association Agreement in 2014 led to major changes in Ukrainian legislation, bringing it closer to the EU acquis. One of the key factors that made it possible is the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA), granting Ukrainian companies access to the EU Single Market. This access has proved to be the most potent transformative instrument in redirecting Ukrainian business from the Russian market to that of the EU. Furthermore, the granting of the candidate status to Ukraine in 2022 provided an impetus for other reforms, including in the fields of justice and media. Nevertheless, Ukraine’s integration in the EU currently faces challenges, as bilateral issues might obstruct the overall accession negotiation process. 

Reforms in the framework of Cluster 1, Fundamentals, are essential to enhancing democratic transformations in Ukraine. Moreover, they are vital to us as citizens of Ukraine. For these reasons, the reforms must get impetus and require close attention from the EU as soon as possible.  Ukraine needs to keep up its current rate of European reform implementation with Cluster 1, Fundamentals, to have enough time to perform all the tasks properly. As civil society representatives, we are committed to monitoring the implementation of these reforms, ensuring their effectiveness in practice. We fully support the idea that the accession process should follow a merit-based methodology. To this end, we stand ready to cooperate with EU Member States by providing our analytical reports on the accession negotiation process.  

Taking concrete steps forward in the accession process and maintaining a credible prospect for full EU membership serves as a strong motivator for Ukrainian politicians to implement reforms effectively and to full extent. The Ukrainian Government has developed the necessary Roadmaps for the opening of Cluster 1, Fundamentals, with involvement from civil society representatives who have contributed their comments and proposals. At this stage, Ukraine has completed its “pre-accession homework”. However, moving forward now requires approval and support of the EU Member States for it to officially open Cluster 1, Fundamentals. This decision will benefit Ukraine as a candidate country and the EU as a whole. 

The list of signatories:

1. NGO “Ukrainian centre for European Policy” (initiator)
2. Centre of Policy and Legal Reform (initiator)
3. Anti-Corruption Research and Education Centre at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy 
4. European pravda
5. NGO “Europe without Barriers”
6. Center for Civil Liberties
7. The Foreign Policy Council “Ukrainian Prism”
8. Centre for Economic Strategy 
9. Resource and Analysis Centre “Society and Environment”
10. The International Renaissance Foundation
11. Information Centre for Human Rights ZMINA
12. European Democracy Youth Network Ukraine
13. Bureau of Social and Political Developments
14. All-Ukrainian Human Rights Union of Disabled People
15. Luhansk regional public human rights women’s organization “Chaika”
16. Non-Governmental Centre “Women’s Perspectives”
17. Civil Society Organization Centre for Innovation and Sustainability for International Development 
18.  Foundation of European and Security Research
19. Ukrainian Association of European Law 
20.  Public Opinion Monitoring Center “Trend”
21. Alliance of Ukrainian Organizations (Germany)
22. Public Association “Innovative Aarhus Network of Territorial Communities of Ukraine and the City of Kyiv
23. The CHESNO Movement
24. HPLGBT
25. Open Platform e.V.

The Reanimation Package of Reforms Coalition

26. Ukrainian Paralegal Association 
27. NGO “Parents for Vaccination”
28. NGO “Fight for Right”
29. Media detector
30. Institute of Civil Society
31. Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting
32. Institute for Euro-Atlantic Cooperation
33. Institute of the Republic
34. Institute for the Development of Regional Press
35. Institute for Central European Strategy
36. Committee of Voters of Ukraine
37. National Union of Cinematographers of Ukraine
38. Plast
39. NGO “Together Against Corruption”
40. Charity Fund “East-SOS”
41. ICF “Ukrainian Public Health Foundation”
42. Ukrainian Independent Center for Political Studies
43. Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation
44. New Europe Center
45. Center for Civic Representation “Life”
46. Center for Democracy and Rule of Law
47. Centre for Research of Liberation Movement
48. Economic Growth Center LRHub
49. Eidos: Centre for Political Studies and Analysis
50. Center for Innovations Development
51. School for Policy Analysis
52. NGO “The Legal Hundred”
53. NGO «EasyBusiness»

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