From screening to negotiations – how Ukraine is aligning with the EU acquis

The bilateral screening with the European Commission has now been completed, marking a crucial stage in Ukraine’s EU accession process. For most people, “screening” sounds highly technical, but for me it has been a living, practical process – one that I had the privilege to contribute to at several different stages. The final meetings under the last Cluster – “Resources, Agriculture and Cohesion Policy” – concluded in September 2025.

My involvement began well before the official meetings in Brussels. I worked on the self-screening process, where we carefully compared Ukrainian legislation against the EU acquis to identify gaps and areas for reform. Later, I contributed to preparing Ukraine’s own inputs to the European Commission’s Enlargement Package reports – the documents that present our country’s progress from the Ukrainian side and form the basis for how it is assessed by the EU. And during the bilateral screening itself, I was directly engaged in several negotiation chapters. In particular, I worked on Chapter 2 (Freedom of Movement for Workers), Chapter 3 (Right of Establishment and Freedom to Provide Services, specifically on regulated professions and recognition of qualifications), and Chapter 19 (Social Policy and Employment), where I also spoke as part of the Ukrainian delegation. In addition, I served as a co-executor for several other chapters across the accession portfolio.

This work was a natural continuation of my professional background. As an expert in employment policy and labour migration, I have always been focused on how European integration translates into concrete opportunities for people: fair access to jobs, recognition of qualifications, and protection of workers’ rights. Even my PhD research grew out of practical insights I gained while working on these issues – including during the screening itself, which gave me an unparalleled perspective on how EU standards are applied in practice.

Now that the screening stage is complete, what comes next? The process will move into formal negotiations, where each chapter of the acquis will be opened one by one. In practice, this means:

• Drafting detailed negotiation positions that set out how Ukraine will adopt and implement the EU acquis.
• Prioritising sensitive areas such as labour mobility, anti-discrimination in employment, and social dialogue – areas with direct impact on citizens.
• Ensuring that reforms are not only passed on paper, but implemented and enforced through functioning institutions.
• Building up administrative capacity within ministries and agencies to manage the enormous workload that negotiations bring.

Here, the experience of other countries offers important lessons. Croatia’s accession, for example, was delayed until it could show a track record of judicial independence and anti-corruption results, with Chapters 23 (Judiciary and Fundamental Rights) and 24 (Justice, Freedom and Security) opened early and closed last. Similarly, progress in the Western Balkans has stalled because governments could not sustain reforms in public administration and the rule of law. The European Commission’s latest Enlargement Report also underlines that Ukraine’s momentum is impressive – despite the war, reforms have advanced – but that challenges remain.

From my own experience, I would share three professional lessons as Ukraine enters this next phase:

1. Reforms must be people-centred – EU integration is not only about compliance, but about making sure ordinary citizens feel the benefits in their daily lives.
2. Invest in expertise early – negotiations require highly qualified specialists who understand both EU acquis and the realities of Ukraine’s systems. Supporting and retaining these experts is essential.
3. Communicate constantly – progress in negotiations must be explained to society to maintain trust and to prevent reforms from becoming “invisible”.

Ukraine’s accession process is unprecedented – no other candidate country has undergone screening while fighting a full-scale war. Yet we have proved that it is possible. The next step, negotiations, will be even more demanding, but also more rewarding. For me, it is not only about policies and laws. It is about ensuring that the transformation we are working on brings real change for people, and firmly anchors Ukraine in the European Union.

This article is only the beginning of a broader conversation. In the next two of this series, I will look more closely at why the free movement of people is so important for Ukraine’s EU future, and what lessons from past enlargement rounds can and cannot be applied to Ukraine’s unique path. Together, these reflections aim to explain not only how negotiations unfold, but why they matter for every Ukrainian citizen.