AT A GLANCE

Ukraine
The EU is providing Ukraine with strong political and economic support, and future EU accession should support
its reconstruction and modernisation, the cost of which is currently estimated at over €450 billion. This year's
Ukraine Recovery Conference will seek to improve coordination and cooperation among its allies.

EU-Ukraine relations
In 2014, the EU and Ukraine signed an association agreement and established a deep and comprehensive
free trade area, deepening bilateral political and trade relations. Since Russia began its full-scale invasion of
Ukraine, the EU and its Member States have committed over €143 billion in financial, economic,
humanitarian, and military support for Ukraine, and have welcomed refugees. The sum includes €50 billion
for the Ukraine Facility, approved in February, its recovery and its path to EU accession. The EU has also
granted annual renewable autonomous trade measures (ATM) – suspending outstanding customs duties
and quotas for Ukrainian products. An extension of the ATM until June 2025, reinforcing protection for
sensitive agricultural products was approved by Parliament in plenary on 23 April 2024.

EU accession process
Ukraine made a formal request to join the EU after Russia began its full-scale invasion in February 2022. It
was granted candidate country status in June 2022, and it unveiled its roadmap for decentralisation reform
in November 2023, with a view to EU accession. In December 2023, EU Member States agreed to open
accession negotiations. The European Commission submitted a draft negotiating framework for Ukraine on
12 March 2024 and, in its conclusions of 21-22 March, the European Council invited the Council to 'adopt
them and to take work forward without delay'. The draft framework has three parts: accession negotiation
principles; six negotiation clusters; and procedures. Once approved, the first intergovernmental conference
will take place, the framework will be made public, and formal negotiations will begin. The key challenges
for EU enlargement relate to agricultural, budgetary and cohesion policy reform, security and defence
policy, and the mutual defence clause. Ukraine will have to make progress on its reform agenda, not least
on fighting corruption and implementing the entire acquis.

Reconstruction and recovery

At the end of 2023, the cost of Ukraine's reconstruction and recovery was estimated at €452.8 billion over
10 years. The sectors with the greatest needs are housing (17 % of the total), transport (15 %), commerce
and industry (14 %), agriculture (12 %), energy (10 %), social protection and livelihoods (9 %), and explosive
hazard management (7 %). The sum is equal to 2.8 times Ukraine's estimated 2023 nominal gross domestic
product; to meet these needs will require international support. It is the joint assessment of Ukraine, the
World Bank and the Commission that effective reconstruction will be crucial to secure adequate funding
and resources, ensure a safe and secure environment, and overcome political challenges.
Ukraine Recovery Conference 2024
This year's Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC2024) will be held on 11 and 12 June in Berlin. The goal is to
mobilise international support for recovery, reconstruction, reform and modernisation. URC2024 will focus
on four themes: EU accession and related reforms; recovery of municipalities and regions; private-sector
mobilisation for reconstruction and economic growth; and social recovery and human capital for the future
of Ukraine. Integral to URC2024 will be the Recovery Forum, designed to offer a platform for dialogue,
matchmaking and collaboration, and to enable local government and business representatives to interact.
This 'at a glance' note has been produced at the request of a member of the European Committee of the Regions, in the
framework of the cooperation agreement between the Parliament and the Committee.
EPRS | European Parliamentary Research Service
Author: Jakub Przetacznik
PE 762.289 – April 2024
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