Montenegro advances towards EU. Five new negotiation chapters ready to be closed

Brussels – Montenegro is advancing in the tight timetable it has set for EU accession. Podgorica’s goal is to close negotiations on all accession chapters by the end of 2026. A “significant breakthrough” is expected tomorrow (16 December): the yes to closing five chapters, bringing the total to 12 out of 33. 

This was revealed by a senior EU official on the eve of the 24th meeting of the Accession Conference with Montenegro. The Montenegrin president himself, Jakov Milatović, had anticipated the possible outcome a few days ago, after a series of exchanges with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron.

On the home straight, therefore, are not only three chapters—those on “Right of establishment and freedom to provide services”, “Free movement of capital” and “Company law”—but also those on “Agriculture and rural development” and “Fisheries”. The latter two have so far remained hostage to the Paris veto due to concerns about the impact on their own supply chains. 

So far, Podgorica has already concluded negotiations on “Public Procurement”, “Intellectual Property”, “Information and Media”, “Industrial Policy and Enterprise”, “Science and Research”, “Education and Culture”, and “External Relations”. 

Montenegro has officially been a candidate country since 2011, but the sprint impressed by Brussels and Podgorica over the past year is evident. Negotiations are open on all other chapters, but the road still remains long. The goal is decidedly ambitious, given that in a year Podgorica should receive the green light—unanimously from the 27 member states—on almost two-thirds of the negotiating chapters. 

In particular, the chapters that aim to bring the candidate countries up to EU standards in the areas of justice, fundamental rights, anti-corruption, and security are of greatest concern. They are traditionally considered the most challenging of the entire accession process. Here too, however, the road seems to be downhill: the obstacle of the political crisis last December, caused by contradictory rules on the election of judges, has been overcome.