The Council of the European Union (EU) could soon establish an ad hoc Working Group to draft an Accession Treaty with Montenegro, taking into account the progress made by the country and the total of 12 negotiation chapters closed.
This is stated in the Draft Council conclusions on enlargement, which "Vijesti" has access to, and which could be adopted today.
As stated, the Council takes note of the European Commission's communication and reports of 4 November 2025, and particularly welcomes, among other things, the fact that Montenegro has made further progress in the accession negotiations and that 12 negotiation chapters have now been provisionally closed.
"The Council looks forward to the provisional closure of additional chapters as soon as possible, as soon as the conditions are met. Based on the overall progress made by Montenegro, the Council decides to establish an ad hoc Working Group for the preparation of a Draft Accession Treaty with Montenegro. In this regard, and as a matter of priority, the Council expects the necessary preparatory activities to ensure the efficient functioning of the ad hoc Working Group once it is established, including the clarification of key principles of future accession treaties," the Draft Conclusions state.
As "Vijesti" reported in early October, a working group for drafting an agreement (contract) on Montenegro's accession to the European Union may be formed at the end of the year because Denmark is ready to put it on the agenda before the end of their presidency.
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A "Vijesti" source familiar with the course of the accession negotiations recalled that the conclusions of the EU Council from December 2024 mentioned that, when the conditions are met, an ad-hoc working group will be formed in the Council to draft the agreement.
"The members are taking this into account, Cyprus has already prepared the ground administratively, and the Danes are ready to put the formation of this group on the agenda before the end of their presidency," the source said.
Denmark took over the rotating six-month presidency of the EU from Poland in July, followed by Cyprus in January.
Montenegro today closed five more chapters in negotiations with the EU - Chapter 3 - Right of establishment and freedom to provide services, 4 - Free movement of capital, 6 - Commercial law, 11 - Agriculture and rural development, and Chapter 13 - Fisheries.
Montenegro has closed a total of 12 chapters so far.
Montenegro must continue with reforms, especially in the area of the judiciary
The Draft Conclusions, in the section on Montenegro, also state that the Council encourages the Government to continue implementing the ambitious plan for the successful conclusion of accession negotiations, and all political actors to maintain broad political consensus, step up efforts and work together to ensure further progress.
"The Council encourages Montenegro to further improve the implementation of the closing benchmarks, in particular in the rule of law chapters 23 and 24," it states.
The Council states that Montenegro must continue to make progress on the path of reforms, especially in the areas of the judiciary, freedom of expression, freedom of the media, the fight against corruption and organized crime, as well as in public administration.
"The European Union expects Montenegro to improve its administrative capacity in general."
The Council notes that the number of final judgments in high-level corruption cases remains low and stresses the need for Montenegro to improve its track record in investigating and prosecuting high-level corruption and organised crime cases, ensuring final judgments, dissuasive sentences, as well as seizure and confiscation of assets.
The Council calls on Montenegro to further align its electoral legislation with the EU acquis and European standards, especially in the area of financing political entities and election campaigns.
The Council also encourages Montenegro to ensure the smooth functioning of key judicial institutions and to accelerate and deepen the implementation of key judicial reforms, in order to further strengthen the independence, professionalism and accountability of the judiciary.
"Montenegro should urgently complete the appointment procedures for vacant positions through a transparent and inclusive consultation process, as well as through merit-based procedures," is one of the conclusions.
Rapid and full alignment with EU visa policy necessary
As stated, the Council recognizes the good progress made in the area of asylum and migration management, while reaffirming the need for rapid and full alignment with the visa policy of the European Union.
With regard to the economic criteria, the Council welcomes the steady growth of the economy, the stability of the banking and financial sectors and the improvements in the labour market. The Council underlines the importance of protecting the independence of the Central Bank and transparent, impartial appointments of members of the governing bodies, and welcomes the recent appointments of the Vice Governors.
The Council encourages Montenegro to further implement the necessary structural reforms, reduce public debt and continue efforts to strengthen fiscal governance and transparency.
"The Council remains committed to further progress in Montenegro's gradual integration into the EU internal market, inter alia on the basis of improved implementation of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement. The Council welcomes the ongoing implementation of the Western Balkans Growth Plan in Montenegro, which is well on its way to delivering concrete benefits to citizens. The Council takes positive note of the first two partial disbursements under the Reform and Growth Instrument and encourages Montenegro to continue implementing its Reform Agenda," the draft states.
The Council notes that good neighbourly relations and regional cooperation remain key elements of the enlargement process, as well as the Stabilisation and Association Process, and "strongly commends Montenegro" for its consistent cooperation in the field of foreign policy, as well as its consistent and long-standing full compliance with the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy, including EU restrictive measures - which represents a strong signal of Montenegro's strategic commitment to its path towards the European Union.
The Council also welcomes Montenegro's continued active participation in EU missions and operations within the framework of the Common Security and Defence Policy, as well as its interest in further strengthening such cooperation.
Significant progress by Albania, Ukraine and Moldova
The EU Council points to the significant strides and progress made by several candidate countries during 2025, despite the serious challenges posed by Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and continued hybrid activities.
Praising the progress made, "The Council looks forward to taking further steps to advance the respective accession processes as soon as the criteria are met and the conditions are in place."
It is recalled that Albania has now opened all six negotiation clusters and is making progress in accession negotiations, while the screening process for Ukraine and Moldova has been successfully and timely completed, and the Council "takes note of the European Commission's assessment that all six clusters are ready to open."
"The Council looks forward to opening clusters with both candidate countries, starting without delay with the basic cluster, and then with other clusters, in accordance with the methodology and negotiating framework. The Council is carrying out activities to prepare the next steps," the conclusions state.
No roaming with the EU next year
It was announced that Ukraine and Moldova will join "Roaming like at home" from January 1, 2026, and the Western Balkans during 2026, "enabling their citizens to make calls to, from and within the European Union and the European Economic Area, as well as to use mobile data at no additional cost."
"The Council remains committed to ensuring a clear and predictable path towards membership of the European Union for candidate countries, including through the simplification of procedures within the established methodology. In this context, the Council stresses the importance of organising political intergovernmental conferences," the draft conclusions state.
Enlargement contributes to European peace, stability and prosperity
In its conclusions, the Council reaffirms the geostrategic importance of enlargement as a key contribution to European peace, security, stability and prosperity in the 21st century.
"An efficient, merit-based and credible enlargement process must be maintained, based on the Copenhagen criteria, established principles and methodology. The Council calls on all partners to seize this opportunity, build on the existing momentum and take all necessary steps to accelerate their progress on the path towards the European Union," the Draft states.
As it is added, in an increasingly unstable geopolitical context, in which war is being waged on the European continent (Russian aggression against Ukraine), the European Union remains a pillar of peace, prosperity and security. Respect for international law, peaceful conflict resolution, reconciliation and regional cooperation are principles of paramount importance to which the Union is committed.
The Council reiterates that the progress of all partners aspiring to membership will continue to be assessed on the basis of fair and strict conditionality and their own merits, which constitute the cornerstone of the accession negotiations, with the rule of law, democracy and fundamental rights at its core.
"The partners must respect and promote the values of the European Union as set out in the Treaties. EU membership implies the ability to fully assume all obligations arising therefrom. Progress in fundamental areas remains a key benchmark for progress towards EU membership. Particular attention should be paid to addressing all shortcomings identified by the European Commission," the Council said.
As he adds, the Union's ability to absorb new members, while preserving its efficiency in functioning and further development, is an important issue in the general interest of both the Union and the candidate countries.
"Given the prospect of further enlargement of the Union, both the European Union and the future Member States must be prepared. In parallel with the intensification of reform efforts by countries aspiring to membership, the EU must carry out the necessary internal preparations and reforms, as envisaged in the Granada Declaration and the conclusions of the European Council of June 2024. This will make the Union stronger and enhance European sovereignty. The Council will continue to address this issue and advance its work in accordance with the agreed procedures," the draft conclusions state.
It states that full alignment with the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) remains a key aspect of the European integration process and a strong expression of the strategic commitment of the partners. The Council expects all partners to fully align with the EU's CFSP, including restrictive measures.
Countries of the region to resolve disputes and issues arising from the legacy of the past
In the Western Balkans, good neighbourly relations and regional cooperation remain essential elements of the enlargement process, as well as the Stabilisation and Association Process.
The Council, as stated, strongly encourages partners to resolve their bilateral disputes and issues arising from the legacy of the past, in accordance with international law and established principles, including the Agreement on Succession Issues.
The Council calls on the candidate countries to make full use of existing opportunities and invites the European Commission to put forward further proposals regarding gradual integration.
"Effective strategic communication about enlargement and its benefits, both by partners and by the European Union, remains crucial," the Draft Conclusions state.
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