EU-Montenegro relations
In 2006 Montenegro's parliament declared independence from the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. In 2008, the new country applied for EU membership.
In 2010, the Commission issued a favourable opinion on Montenegro's application, identifying 7 key priorities that would need to be addressed for negotiations to begin, and the Council granted it candidate status.
In December 2011, the Council launched the accession process with a view to opening negotiations in June 2012.
The accession negotiations with Montenegro started on 29 June 2012.
After eight years of accession negotiations all the 33 screened chapters have been opened, of which 13 are provisionally closed.
Key milestones
- January 2026Accession conference provisionally closing chapter 32 – Financial control.
- December 2025Accession conference provisionally closing chapters:
3 – Right of establishment and freedom to provide services
4 – Free movement of capital
6 – Company law
11 – Agriculture and rural development
13 – Fisheries. - October 2025Montenegro receives funds under the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans.
- July 2025Montenegro receives funds under the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans.
- June 2025Accession conference provisionally closing chapter 5 – Public procurement.
- December 2024Accession conference provisionally closing chapters:
7 – Intellectual property law
10 – Information society and media
20 – Enterprise and industrial policy - November 2024Montenegro joins the geographical scope of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) schemes.
- October 2024European Commission approves Montenegro’s Reform Agenda.
- June 2024Accession conference confirming Montenegro meets the interim benchmarks set for chapters:
23 – Judiciary and Fundamental Rights
24 – Justice, Freedom and Security - January 2024Deepening the political dialogue between the EU member states and Montenegro.
- October 2020Commission adopts an Economic & Investment Plan to support and bring the Western Balkans closer to the EU.
- June 2020Negotiations are opened for all 33 negotiation chapters with chapter 8 – Competition policy.
- February 2020Revised methodology
Revised methodology is presented by the Commission, aimed to drive forward the enlargement process with a stronger political steer and in a more credible, predictable, dynamic way.
- December 2018Negotiations are opened on Chapter 27: Environment and climate change.
- June 2018Negotiations are opened on Chapter 17: Economic and monetary policy.
- February 2018The European Commission adopts its strategy for ‘A credible enlargement perspective for and enhanced EU engagement with the Western Balkans.'
- December 2017Negotiations are opened on Chapter 2: Freedom of movement for workers and Chapter 3: Right of establishment and freedom to provide services.
- June 2017Negotiations are opened on Chapter 1 - free movement of goods and Chapter 22 - regional policy and Negotiations are provisionally closed on Chapter 30
- December 2016Negotiations are opened on Chapters 11 - Agriculture and rural development and Chapter 19 - Social policy and employment.
- June 2016Negotiations are opened on Chapters 12 – Food safety, veterinary and phytosanitary policy and 13 – Fisheries.
- December 2015Negotiations are opened on Chapters 14 – Transport policy and 15 – Energy.
- June 2015Negotiations are opened on Chapters 9 – Financial services and 21 – TENs.
- March 2015Negotiations are opened on Chapters 16 – Taxation, 30 – External relations.
- December 2014Negotiations are opened on Chapters 18 – Statistics, 28 – Consumer and health protection, 29 – Customs Union, 33 – Financial and budgetary provisions.
- June 2014Negotiations are opened on Chapters 4 – Free movement of capitals, 31 – Foreign, security and defence policy 32 – Financial control.
- March 2014Negotiations are opened on Chapters 7 – Intellectual property rights, 10 – Information society and media.
- December 2013Negotiations are opened on the Rule of Law chapters:
Chapter 23 – Judiciary and fundamental rights and Chapter 24 – Justice, freedom and security. Negotiations are opened on Chapter 5: Public procurement, Chapter 6: Company law and Chapter 20: Enterprise and industrial policy.
- December 2012Negotiations are provisionally closed on the first chapter: chapter 25 – Science and Research.
- June 2012Accession negotiations with Montenegro are opened.
- December 2010Council grants Montenegro the candidate status.
- May 2010Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) enters into force.
- December 2009Visa requirement lifted for Montenegrins visiting the EU.
- December 2008Montenegro applies for EU membership.
- January 2008Agreements on trade and trade-related matters , visa facilitation and readmission enter into force.
- October 2007Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) signed in Luxembourg.
- January 2007Council adopts European Partnership for Montenegro.
Key documents
- General publications
- Directorate-General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood
- General publications
- Directorate-General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood
- General publications
- Directorate-General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood
- General publications
- Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations
- General publications
- Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations
