The ETUC welcomes the news that accession negotiations will open with Ukraine and Moldova. The decisions to grant candidate status to Georgia and to open negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina once the necessary degree of compliance with the membership criteria is reached are also important.
We call on the governments to work closely with trade unions in the countries so that Ukraine and Moldova meet accession requirements and fully adhere to the social acquis. The ETUC is calling for a social partner summit to take place before the 2024 EU-Ukraine Summit.
Within the past two months, the ETUC has undertaken high-level missions to Ukraine and Moldova. National trade union centres from the two countries have already been voted in as full members of the ETUC.
Esther Lynch, ETUC General Secretary said:
“The progress towards accession is great news. We are confident that both Ukraine and Moldova can achieve the progress to meet EU social standards.
“We absolutely agree that the enlargement process must foster the values on which the Union is founded. Social dialogue and respect for the role of trade unions are an integral part of these values and a feature of the social market economy which these countries will have to fully integrate in view of joining the EU and the single market. The EU must insist on full compliance with these values and with the EU social acquis as objective criteria for EU membership.
“The ETUC will continue to support its affiliates in Ukraine and Moldova and will ensure they are fully involved in this process.”
