Montenegro has moved closer to European Union membership following another round of accession negotiations, raising the possibility that the bloc could admit its first new member since Croatia joined in 2013.
At an intergovernmental conference in Brussels on 6 November, the EU and Montenegro provisionally closed two additional negotiating chapters covering the free movement of goods and food safety.
According to the European Commission’s announcement, 23 of Montenegro’s 33 negotiating chapters have now been provisionally closed.
The country hopes to complete negotiations before the end of 2026, sign an accession treaty in 2027 and become the Union’s 28th member in 2028.
That timetable remains conditional. Nevertheless, the progress places Montenegro at the forefront of the EU’s enlargement process and offers Brussels an opportunity to demonstrate that membership remains achievable for countries implementing the required reforms.
Montenegro began accession negotiations in June 2012. Its progress has often been overshadowed by the prolonged political disputes surrounding enlargement elsewhere in the Western Balkans.
The latest developments suggest a change in momentum.
The Commission’s 2026 enlargement assessment identifies Montenegro as a candidate capable of completing its remaining negotiations within a relatively short period.
Preparations for an accession treaty are already under way, while the Council has advanced discussions concerning the financial arrangements associated with membership.
The significance extends beyond Montenegro’s population of approximately 630,000. For years, the EU has encouraged reforms across the Western Balkans while offering limited certainty about when accession might actually occur.
The absence of a clear timetable has weakened the political incentives associated with membership in parts of the region. Montenegro’s accession could demonstrate that the process still produces tangible results.
Negotiating progress does not mean all outstanding concerns have been resolved.
The Commission’s 2026 country report identifies continuing weaknesses involving corruption, organised crime and the effectiveness of law-enforcement institutions.
Montenegro has made progress in strengthening investigative bodies and judicial administration. However, the Commission continues to demand more effective prosecutions, particularly concerning organised crime and money laundering.
It has also identified risks involving criminal infiltration of public institutions, including law-enforcement agencies.
These issues are especially important because EU membership would bring Montenegro fully into the Union’s institutional and legal framework. The integrity of its judicial system would consequently become a matter of concern for other member states, not solely a domestic political question.
European governments will therefore examine whether reforms produce lasting institutional changes rather than merely satisfying formal legislative requirements.
The provisional closure of a chapter also does not make its conclusions irreversible. Under EU negotiating rules, chapters can be revisited if implementation deteriorates before accession.
Montenegro’s possible accession also reflects the changing strategic significance of enlargement.
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