Hungary expected to approve progress on Ukraine's EU accession clusters 2 and 3

What Happened

On 7 October, the EU Council's Working Party on Enlargement and Countries Negotiating Accession to the EU (COELA) is scheduled to consider screening results for Ukraine's EU accession clusters 2 (Internal Market) and 3 (Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth). Hungary is not expected to block their approval, according to an EU source who spoke to European Pravda. The source said the COELA meeting will take place at 11:00 Kyiv time and that screening results for clusters 2 and 3 for Ukraine are expected to be approved. Later on 7 October, the Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper) is expected to approve the screening reports and authorise letters inviting Ukraine and Moldova to submit their negotiating positions on these two clusters. The reported goal is to schedule an Intergovernmental Conference on Tuesday 13 October at which the clusters would be opened. The expectation of Hungarian approval follows the 1 October registration in Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada of a bill on education in the languages of national minorities, whose adoption is expected to help lift Hungary's veto, and the 6 October adoption by the European Commission of a package of pre-enlargement policy review proposals.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

Progress on Ukraine's EU accession clusters 2 and 3 would mark a concrete step in Ukraine's integration with the EU amid Russia's full-scale invasion. Hungary's reported shift on the veto, tied to a Ukrainian education bill on minority language rights, removes a key political obstacle. The European Commission's 6 October pre-enlargement policy review package signals institutional preparation for admitting new members, including Ukraine, shaping the EU's strategic response to the wider geopolitical crisis.

Watch For

The COELA meeting on 7 October at 11:00 Kyiv time and whether Hungary indeed does not block approval; Coreper's expected approval later the same day and the sending of authorisation letters to Ukraine and Moldova; the scheduling and outcome of an Intergovernmental Conference proposed for Tuesday 13 October; and the Ukrainian parliament's adoption of the 1 October education bill on national minority languages, which is seen as key to removing Hungary's veto.