Now So Near, and Yet Still So Far: Relations Between Ukraine and the European Union

8. Conclusions Under the new government elected in late 2004, Ukraine has an opportunity to engage in a series of reforms, including concerning its relations with the EU. Ukraine has experienced a remarkable macroeconomic stabilization and growth resumption in the last few years. Using relative institutional and economic indicators, the remaining deficits are obvious when compared to other countries in the queue for EU membership, but the case of other applicant countries, e.g., Croatia, has shown that institutional reforms can be quite fast, when supported by a clear EU entry perspective. Given the current economic links with the EU, Ukraine’s largest partner, the potential gains for Ukraine from membership are very substantial. Ukraine should keep on pressing for fast reforms, and at some point may open negotiations for EU membership, by submitting a formal application. This may, among other things, help to prevent a state capture by vested interest groups and the blocking of reforms. Nevertheless, EU membership is a long-term effort, and the Ukraine government should be aware of that. The EU, from its part, should weigh Ukraine’s application on its merits, not taking into consideration the concerns of non-EU countries. To assure the successful achievement of an eventual Ukrainian membership, the EU should actively support the continuation of the reform process in the country, especially with respect to institution building, making full use of the frameworks available in the ENP. Finally, one must stress that the EU itself shall gain from this eventual future enlargement, as it has gained from all the previous ones.