EU candidate country Montenegro has taken another step towards joining the bloc.
This comes after it closed another negotiating “chapter” in its negotiations with the EU.
It means a total of 13 chapters have now been provisionally closed, marking what the EU calls a “significant and tangible progress” on the country’s path toward European integration.
The move has been welcomed by Marilena Raouna, Deputy Minister for European affairs of Cyprus, which is the new holder of the EU’s rotating presidency.
The minister said: “Enlargement remains a strategic geopolitical priority for the EU and a key focus of the Cyprus presidency. I hope we will be therefore able to hold many more accession conferences in the months ahead, not only with Montenegro, but also with other candidates as we continue to advance a credible and merit-based enlargement process.”
This week a delegation from the EU parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs has been in both Montenegro and Albania, which are the two most advanced EU candidate countries, to assess progress made and remaining reforms on their respective paths to EU membership.
Both have been praised for efforts to implement reforms seen as necessary for possible EU membship.
The visit, which ended on 18 February, was led by German member David McAllister, chair of the foreign affairs committee.
Its findings will also feed into the committee’s work on forthcoming reports on the two countries, an EU parliament spokesman said.
The continued efforts of both countries to join the EU has been greeted by EU council president Antonio Costa who, speaking last month, said, “In this multipolar world, an enlarged European Union means a stronger, safer, and more peaceful Europe at home and abroad. The next enlargement, to Ukraine, to Moldova and to the Western Balkans, is crucial to strengthen our Union as a geopolitical player. To make enlargement a reality, we must act on two fronts at the same time.
“First, we need to continue with reforms in the candidate countries.
“Second, the European Union must prepare itself to accommodate new members. 2026 is also important for the accession of Moldova and the Western Balkan partners. For Montenegro, for example, the next 12 months can see the completion of their accession negotiations, and we hope that the drafting of their accession treaty can start very soon during this Presidency.”
Separately, at a summit with West Balkans countries at the end of 2025 he said, “Enlargement remains central to our shared objectives.”
In a speech then, he added: “Enlargement is a merit-based process, not a race or a competition between candidates. Those who move faster should not be held back by others. Quite the contrary, they should set the pace and serve as an inspiration for all.”
The Portuguese official added: “Over the past 12 months, good progress has been made: Montenegro’s path to the EU has clearly accelerated.
“Albania has managed to open all negotiating clusters in a very short time, the last ones just in November. Next year will be their moment of truth to accelerate reforms.”
“We must keep this momentum. For this, we will support our partners every step of the way. Enlargement is a deeply transformational process. Socioeconomic convergence will anchor their future in the European Union. The EU is—and will remain—the Western Balkans’ most reliable partner. They are all part of the European family, and the European Union is their place,” he said.
A similar summit between the EU and Western Balkans states is planned for June.
The latest chapters now completed by Montenegro are Chapters 3 on the right of establishment and freedom to provide services, 4 on the free movement of capital, 6 on company law, 11 on agriculture and rural development. Chapter 13 on fisheries had already been provisionally closed at the previous Accession Conference on 16 December 2025.
A council spokesman said: “Monitoring of progress in the alignment with and implementation of the EU acquis will continue throughout the negotiations.”
Montenegro has opened all 33 negotiating chapters in its EU accession negotiations.
Meanwhile, the European Commission says fresh funding of some €171 million will support and boost infrastructure development and private sector growth across Western Balkans partners.
The new support package includes an investment contribution package from different EU funding sources: contributions from the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA III) for a project in Bosnia and Herzegovina, contributions from WBIF bilateral donors for a project in Montenegro, and contributions from the Reform and Growth Facility (RGF) for projects in Albania, Montenegro and North Macedonia.
