Accession of Montenegro to the European Union

Since Montenegro's potential candidate status was granted

Montenegro's path toward European Union membership stretches back to December 2002, when it was still part of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. As a potential candidate, Montenegro was drawn into the broader framework of the EU's Stabilisation and Association Process (SAP), which was designed to guide the Western Balkans countries through political and economic reforms in preparation for eventual membership. The country's European integration track accelerated sharply following its independence in 2006, after which the EU moved quickly to establish a formal bilateral relationship, opening the door to a Stabilisation and Association Agreement, membership application, candidate status, and the launch of accession negotiations in 2012.

Identification

Montenegro was granted potential candidate status in December 2002, when it was still in a union with Serbia. The EU recognised the new and independent country's European Perspective on 21 June 2003 at the Thessaloniki Summit. The adoption of the Thessaloniki Declaration of 2003 was a promise by the EU that the former Yugoslav republics along with Albania have "unequivocal support for future integration and full membership of these states in the Union."^[7]

Following the 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum on 21 May 2006, in which 55.5% of voters supported independence, Montenegro declared independence from the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro on 3 June 2006.^[8] The EU moved swiftly to recognise the new state and establish bilateral relations. A mandate for direct negotiations on a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) was established in July 2006, and separate negotiations with an independent Montenegro began in September 2006. The Agreement was initialled in Podgorica on 15 March 2007 and formally signed in Luxembourg on 15 October 2007.^[9] On 13 November 2007, the Parliament of Montenegro ratified the SAA along with an interim agreement and agreements on visa liberalisation and readmission.^[10] On 1 January 2008, the Interim Agreement on trade and related issues, the Visa Liberalisation Agreement, and the Readmission Agreement all entered into force.^[11] The SAA itself entered into full force on 1 May 2010, after ratification by all 27 EU member states.^[12]

The SAA established a broad framework for political dialogue, economic cooperation, and the gradual harmonisation of Montenegrin law with the EU acquis. It committed Montenegro to democratic principles, the rule of law, respect for human rights, and cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. It also provided for the progressive establishment of a bilateral free trade area over a maximum period of five years, and made Montenegro eligible for EU financial assistance conditional on continued progress toward the Copenhagen criteria.^[13]

Membership application

Montenegro officially applied to join the EU on 15 December 2008. The application was submitted by Prime Minister Milo Đukanović to French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who at the time held the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union. The submission was presented during a ceremony in Brussels and built upon the foundation of the SAA, emphasising Montenegro's commitment to aligning with EU standards in areas such as the rule of law, economic reforms, and regional cooperation.

Questionnaire

On 23 April 2009, the Council invited the European Commission to submit its opinion on the application. The Commission presented Montenegro with a questionnaire to assess its application on 22 July 2009.^[14] On 9 December 2009, Montenegro delivered its answers to the EC questionnaire.^[15] In 2010, the Commission issued a favourable opinion on Montenegro's application, identifying seven key priorities that would need to be addressed for negotiations to begin.

Recommendation

The European Commission issued a favourable opinion on Montenegro's membership application on 9 November 2010, recommending it as a candidate country.^[16] The Commission's opinion identified seven key priority areas that Montenegro would need to address before accession negotiations could begin, including the rule of law, the fight against corruption and organised crime, and the freedom of the press.^[17] Montenegro officially was granted candidate status by the European Council on 17 December 2010.^[18]

Candidacy

Following the granting of candidate status, the Council agreed in December 2011 to launch the accession process, with a view to opening formal negotiations by June 2012.^[19] The accession negotiations with Montenegro were formally opened on 29 June 2012 at the first ministerial-level meeting of the Intergovernmental Accession Conference in Brussels.^[20] Montenegro was the first Western Balkans country to begin negotiations under the EU's "new approach," which required that Chapters 23 (Judiciary and Fundamental Rights) and 24 (Justice, Freedom and Security) be opened first and remain open throughout the negotiation process, given their centrality to democratic reform.^[21]

Negotiations proceeded gradually over the following years. The screening of all 33 negotiating chapters was completed by June 2013, and the Council regularly opened chapters in subsequent years through a series of Intergovernmental Conferences.^[22] However, progress toward the provisional closure of chapters remained slow through much of the 2010s. By 2018, the accession process had effectively stalled due to a lack of substantial progress in the rule-of-law area and insufficient political will for reform.^[23]

Momentum resumed following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which prompted the EU to reinvigorate its enlargement policy as a strategic priority. In May 2021 the Council had already agreed to apply a revised enlargement methodology to the accession negotiations with Montenegro and Serbia, placing stronger emphasis on fundamental reforms and providing greater political impetus.^[24] Following the election of Prime Minister Milojko Spajić in October 2023, Montenegro's government regained momentum, reaching agreement on long-delayed judicial appointments and accelerating its reform agenda.^[25] In June 2024, Podgorica received a positive Interim Benchmark Assessment Report (IBAR), confirming that it had met the interim benchmarks in Chapters 23 and 24 — a prerequisite for provisional closure of other negotiating chapters.^[26] All 33 negotiating chapters have since been opened, and as of June 2026, sixteen have been provisionally closed.^[27]

Ad Hoc Working Party

On May 1, 2026, the EU approved an Ad Hoc Working Party made up of representatives from various EU countries to work out the legal fine print on Montenegro's accession.^[28][29] According to one diplomat the document will be around 80 percent to 85 percent identical to Croatia's accession treaty.^[28] At the time Montenegro had closed out 14 of the 33 chapters needed for accession, and had set out a timetable to join the EU by 2028.^[29] The EU has rapidly accelerated their accession process and intends for Montenegro to act as an experiment in "two-tier" accession to join the EU but without veto powers.^[29] On May 27 Montenegro's Prime Minister Milojko Spajić led a delegation which met with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace where Macron, one of the leading proponents of the "two-tier" system, stated “Montenegro can count on French support in the final stage of the EU accession process.”^[30]

One of the major final hurdles is the issue of the Montenegrin language which, if Montenegro would join the EU, would become one of the bloc's official languages.^[28] EU diplomats have raised issue with the prospect of employing a group of Montenegrin interpreters since the language is so similar to Croatian.^[28]

Stabilisation and Association Agreement

The State Union of Serbia and Montenegro started the process of Accession to the European Union in November 2005, when negotiations over a Stabilisation and Association Agreement began. The EU concluded such agreements with states that wish to become members. In exchange for commitments to political, economic, trade, or human rights reform in the country, tariff-free access to some or all EU markets (industrial goods, agricultural products, etc.), and financial or technical assistance may be offered by the EU.

In May 2006, Montenegro voted for independence in a referendum, and the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro was dissolved. Serbia continued with the existing SAA negotiations, and separate negotiations were launched with Montenegro in September 2006.^[31][32][33]

The Agreement was initiated on 15 March 2007 and signed on 15 October 2007. After all the 27 member-states of EU had ratified the SAA, it came into force on 1 May 2010.^[34][35]

Current chapter status tables

Developmental Aid

Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance

IPA I
€236 M
(2007-2013)

IPA II
€271 M
(2014-2020)

IPA III
c. €300 M
(2021-2027)

Unilateral euro adoption

Montenegro has no currency of its own. As a constituent republic of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia following World War II, and later of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Montenegro used the Yugoslav dinar as its official currency. In November 1999, the government of Montenegro unilaterally designated the Deutsche Mark as its co-official currency with the dinar, and on 1 January 2001 the dinar officially ceased to be a legal tender in Montenegro.^[105][106] When the euro was introduced and the Deutsche Mark yielded in 2002, Montenegro followed suit and began using the euro as well, with no objection from the European Central Bank (ECB).^[107][108]

The European Commission and the ECB have since voiced their discontent over Montenegro's unilateral use of the euro on several occasions.^[109] A statement attached to their Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU read: "unilateral introduction of the euro was not compatible with the Treaty."^[110] The EU insists on the strict adherence to convergence criteria (such as spending at least 2 years in the ERM II system) which are not negotiable before euro adoption, but have not intervened to stop the unilateral adoption of the euro by Montenegro in 2002.^[109][111] The issue is expected to be resolved through the negotiations process.^[109] The ECB has stated that the implications of unilateral euro adoption "would be spelled out at the latest in the event of possible negotiations on EU accession."^[110]

Diplomats have suggested that it is unlikely Montenegro will be forced to withdraw the euro from circulation in their country.^[107][110] Radoje Žugić, Montenegro's Minister of Finance, has stated that "it would be extremely economically irrational to return to our currency and then later to again go back to the euro."^[112] Instead, he hopes that Montenegro will be permitted to keep the euro and has promised "the government of Montenegro, will adopt some certain elements, which should fulfill the conditions for further use of the euro; such as adopting fiscal rules."^[112]

Schengen Visa liberalisation process

On 1 January 2008, the visa facilitation and readmission agreements between Montenegro and the EU entered into force.^[113] Montenegro was added to the list of visa exempt nationals on 19 December 2009, allowing their citizens to enter the Schengen Area and Cyprus without a visa when traveling with biometric passports.^[114] The visa liberalisation process does not include travels to Ireland which, with the United Kingdom which left the EU during Montenegro's accession process, operate the Common Travel Area for visas outside of the Schengen Area.^[115]

From October 2026 citizens of Montenegro will be required to register on the EU's ETIAS before entering the Schengen area.^[116]