Montenegro closes two more chapters, 23 of 33 in total: Spajić wants all by year-end

Montenegro closed Chapter 1 (free movement of goods) and Chapter 12 (food safety, veterinary and phytosanitary policy) at the 30th intergovernmental conference in Brussels on November 6, Dan and N1 report. That brings the total to 23 of 33 chapters closed.

Under the Commission's roadmap, five more chapters should close in November and nine in December. The accession treaty is due to be finalised in spring and signed in June 2027, with full membership in 2028. The EU Council approved conclusions on a €3.2 billion accession package in October.

"We will keep working intensively in the coming weeks to close all chapters by the end of the year," said Prime Minister Milojko Spajić.

Irish European affairs minister Thomas Byrne cautioned: "No one wants shortcuts in the process, but shortcomings are not what we want or expect either."