Montenegro Closes Two More EU Accession Chapters, 10 Remain

Montenegro, EU flags (BETAPHOTO/European Commission/Jennifer Jacquemart)

Montenegro provisionally closed two more negotiating chapters with the European Union (EU) at a Nov. 6 intergovernmental conference in Brussels, bringing the total number of closed chapters to 23 out of 33, with 10 remaining before the planned completion of negotiations by the end of the year.

During the 30th intergovernmental conference Chapter 1, Free Movement of Goods, and Chapter 12, Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Policy were closed. The European Commission recently presented its annual report on Montenegro's progress, along with a roadmap suggesting that the country could complete accession negotiations by the end of 2026 and sign an accession treaty in June 2027.

Irish Minister of State for European Affairs Thomas Byrne said Ireland's presidency of the Council of the European Union remained committed to the goal of closing all of Montenegro's remaining negotiating chapters by the end of the year. He stressed, however, the need to continue reforms, particularly in the areas of rule of law, strengthening institutional independence and accountability, and combatting organized crime and corruption.

Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajic said the closure of the two additional chapters demonstrated the country's readiness for the final stage of European integration. Spajic said he expected new intergovernmental conferences to take place before the end of the year, where the remaining chapters should be closed. This includes Chapter 27, Environment and Climate Change, one of the most demanding chapters because of the extensive alignment with European regulations and the substantial financial investment required to implement them.