Thewesternbalkans.
Yesterday, the 24th meeting of the Accession Conference with Montenegro provisionally closed accession negotiations on chapters 3 (right of establishment and freedom to provide services), 4 (free movement of capital), 6 (company law), 11 (agriculture and rural development) and 13 (fisheries).
The European Union delegation was led by Ms Marie Bjerre, Minister for European affairs of Denmark, on behalf of the Danish presidency of the Council of the EU, with the participation of Commissioner for Enlargement, Ms Marta Kos. The Montenegrin delegation was led by Mr. Milojko Spajić, Prime Minister of Montenegro. “The EU welcomes Montenegro’s progress in closing five additional chapters today. This means that in total twelve negotiating chapters have already been closed – a significant step forward on the country’s path towards European integration”, said Marie Bjerre.
Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajic announced that the country intends to close the remaining chapters by the end of next year. “Hard work is yielding exceptional results. We are one third of the way there. We enter 2026 with great hope and enthusiasm, hoping that it will be even better, more focused, with closer inter-agency cooperation, trust and diplomacy,” Spajic said
Comment: The EU may, if necessary, return to these chapters at an appropriate moment. According to the negotiating principles endorsed by the Accession Conference, agreements reached in the course of negotiations on specific chapters, even partial ones, may not be considered as final until an overall agreement has been reached for all chapters.
The intergovernmental conference did not confirm Podgorica’s expected deadline for EU entry – 2028. Before the conference itself, France had threatened that it would not support the closure of two negotiation chapters – on agriculture and fisheries. An additional meeting of the permanent representatives of the member states was required over the weekend to unblock the chapters.
Montenegro’s accession negotiations with the EU began in 2012.
The General Affairs Council on 16 December, preparing the European Council meeting, once again stressed the expectation that Montenegro would increase its administrative capacity. The country’s institutional capacity is being undermined by the prolonged conflict between Prime Minister Milojko Spajić, a staunch supporter of the pro-European course, and President Jakov Milatović, a supporter of a more flexible foreign policy course, through the inclusion of representatives of Serbian and moderately pro-Russian forces in the government.
