Overview
- EU governments formally opened talks on the “fundamentals” cluster covering judiciary, democratic institutions, anti‑corruption, public procurement and financial control.
- Hungary lifted a multi‑year veto after a June bilateral deal with Kyiv on rights for ethnic Hungarians in Transcarpathia and has said implementation of that pact can halt further progress.
- The opening on Monday begins a chapter‑based process that requires unanimous member‑state approval to open or close dozens of policy areas and is expected to take many years.
- European Commission officials are drawing up enforceable safeguards and phased transitional measures to limit the risk of post‑accession backsliding or obstruction by new members.
- For Ukrainians the step delivers political backing during the war and locks Kyiv into a long programme of reforms, while Moldova moves forward under the same first‑cluster requirements.