Montenegro has reached the final stage of its EU accession process

The European Union has officially begun drafting an accession agreement for Montenegro, marking the country’s transition to the final stage of European integration. 

Euractiv reports this, noting that ambassadors from the 27 EU member states agreed to establish a special working group to prepare the document. This decision, adopted during a meeting in Brussels, sent a strong signal about the reality of the bloc’s expansion to all partner countries.

Montenegro is currently the frontrunner among accession candidates, having successfully concluded negotiations on 14 of 35 chapters covering tax policy, the environment, and other key areas. Representatives from Cyprus, which currently holds the EU presidency, emphasized that this step demonstrates Brussels’ readiness for expansion following a prolonged pause that has lasted since Croatia’s accession in 2013. Montenegro’s Minister for European Affairs, Maida Gorčević, called the news from Brussels “wonderful” and reaffirmed the country’s ambitious goal of becoming a full EU member by 2028.

The establishment of a special working group marks a transition from general negotiations to the legal formalization of membership conditions. Although Montenegro and Albania are considered the main contenders, it is Podgorica that is demonstrating the most dynamic progress in implementing European standards. Further steps will depend on the speed at which the remaining negotiation chapters are closed, but the drafting of the treaty already makes the process irreversible. This development comes amid discussions of “lightweight” membership for other countries, such as Ukraine, yet Montenegro is moving toward full integration.