Montenegro closes chapters 8 and 29 at the Intergovernmental Conference in Brussels

Spajić: This confirms that we are building institutions capable of protecting competition, ensuring a level playing field and safeguarding the European Union’s external borders

At today’s Intergovernmental Conference on Accession held in Brussels, Montenegro closed two negotiating chapters: Chapter 8 – Competition Policy and Chapter 29 – Customs Union, bringing the total number of closed chapters to 18.

Addressing the participants, Prime Minister Milojko Spajić stressed that Montenegro has once again demonstrated that its reform process is delivering tangible results and that the country continues to make steady progress towards full membership in the European Union.

He noted that Montenegro’s European path has never been about competing with others, but above all about raising its own standards.

Success has never come from competing with our neighbours or with other candidate countries. It has come from competing with ourselves – by raising standards, strengthening institutions and constantly asking what more we can do to reach European values, he said.

The Prime Minister underlined that today’s closure of the two chapters confirms that Montenegro is building institutions capable of protecting competition, ensuring a level playing field and safeguarding the European Union’s external borders in line with the common European rules.

Speaking about the significance of the enlargement process, the Prime Minister said that enlargement today carries a much broader meaning than simply admitting new members.

Enlargement is no longer only about expanding the borders of the European Union. It is about strengthening Europe itself – its competitiveness, resilience, economic security and the integrity of the Single Market, he said.

Prime Minister Spajić recalled that reforms in the areas of competition policy and the customs union required responsible and often difficult decisions, but that precisely such decisions form the foundation of Montenegro’s European path.

European competition policy is not designed to protect individual companies. Its purpose is to protect fair competition. Montenegro has shown that it is prepared to make the decisions necessary to uphold that principle, he added.

Speaking about customs policy, the Prime Minister emphasised that Montenegro has transformed a system once associated with smuggling into a modern customs administration that meets all European standards and is ready to safeguard the European Union’s external borders.

Chairing the conference, Thomas Byrne, Ireland’s Minister of State for European Affairs, congratulated Montenegro on its progress, noting that accession negotiations advance solely on the basis of merit and achieved results.

He stated that the closure of more than half of the negotiating chapters marks an important milestone not only for Montenegro and the European Union, but also for every citizen in candidate countries aspiring to EU membership.

Minister Byrne added that this demonstrates the Council’s commitment to preparing the ground for the accession of a new Member State and confirms that enlargement is a genuine and credible process.

European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said that today’s Intergovernmental Conference represents another important step forward in Montenegro’s accession negotiations and described the closure of 18 chapters as a significant achievement.

She noted that, while the Council continues its work on Montenegro’s Accession Treaty, the European Commission has presented a proposal for the financial framework defining Montenegro’s budgetary arrangements following accession.

Commissioner Kos stressed that these developments represent another important milestone on Montenegro’s path towards full EU membership.

She also welcomed the launch of the constitutional amendment process in Parliament, which is expected to complete the country’s constitutional reform.

In his concluding remarks, Prime Minister Spajić emphasised that closing negotiating chapters is not the end of the reform process, but confirmation that reforms are producing results.

It also demonstrates that the merit-based enlargement policy works when commitment is matched by partnership, he added.

The Prime Minister reaffirmed that Montenegro remains fully committed to concluding accession negotiations, continuing reforms and strengthening the rule of law, expressing confidence that Montenegro’s membership will contribute not only to the country's future, but also to a stronger and more resilient European Union.

Montenegro is not joining the European Union merely as a new Member State. Our European choice reaffirms that shared values, democracy, the rule of law and human dignity remain the strongest foundations of the European project, Prime Minister Spajić concluded.