Ukraine has implemented 84% of the Association Agreement with the EU

The implementation rate of the Association Agreement with the EU has risen to 84%. Photo: eu-ua.kmu.gov.ua

In 2025, Ukraine fulfilled a further 3% of its obligations under the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union. The overall implementation rate rose from 81% to 84%.

This was reported by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine.

The greatest progress over the year was recorded in several areas:

• the financial sector — an 8% increase over the year, with overall progress at 82%;
• social policy and labour relations — an increase of 7%, overall progress — 87%;
• customs issues — 5% increase, overall progress — 96%;
• agriculture — 5% annual increase, 79% overall progress.

Overall, the highest level of fulfilment of commitments was recorded in three areas: statistics and information exchange (100%), education, training and youth (99%), and intellectual property (98%).

Ukraine’s accession to the EU

As early as autumn 2023, Ukraine had fully met four of the seven requirements accompanying the granting of candidate status.

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In December 2023, European Union leaders at a summit in Brussels approved the European Commission’s recommendation to open accession negotiations with Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the EU’s decision to open negotiations as a victory for the whole of Europe.

In January 2024, as part of the preparations for the start of negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the EU, an inaugural meeting on the screening of Ukrainian legislation took place in Brussels.

And in September 2025, Ukraine and the European Commission began screening meetings on the final cluster of accession negotiations, concerning agriculture.

Johannes Hahn, the European Commissioner for Budget, noted at the time that Ukraine’s planned accession to the EU could lead to an increase in the European Union’s budget of up to 20%.

Subsequently, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasised that Ukraine had fulfilled all the conditions for the start of accession negotiations with the European Union, and that it was now up to the EU to fulfil its obligations.

It should also be noted that Hungary does not intend to give its consent for Ukraine and the European Union to open the first cluster of negotiations on the country’s accession to the bloc.