EU to rewrite accession rules to speed Ukraine’s membership, commissioner says
Mar 1st 2026
Marta Kos, EU commissioner for enlargement, told reporters in Kyiv that the Commission is rewriting enlargement rules to reflect geopolitical and wartime realities, pursuing frontloading and strict anti-corruption benchmarks while stressing membership will only follow full reforms and member-state approval.
- European Commission is finalizing new enlargement options to adapt accession to wartime realities, with a draft expected in several months.
- Many changes can be made without revising EU treaties, but member-state agreement will be required.
- Ukraine remains a candidate and frontloading of EU law adoption is under way with cluster assessments and an enlargement report due in November.
- The Kachka-Kos 10-point anti-corruption plan sets urgent benchmarks that the Commission expects Ukraine to fulfil, ideally within this year.
- No accession date will be set now because full membership depends on completing reforms and rebuilding trust after July 2025 setbacks.
- Occupied territories and an active war are not an automatic veto on membership, and the EU says it can find workable solutions.
- Civil society oversight and free, fair elections are essential to preserve credibility and public support for accession.