Two Negotiating Chapters Closed; Spajić: We Remain Committed to a Stronger and More Competitive Europe

Montenegro today closed two negotiating chapters at the Intergovernmental Conference in Luxembourg, bringing the total number of provisionally closed chapters in the accession negotiation process to 16.

On this occasion, Prime Minister Milojko Spajić addressed representatives of the EU Member States at the Intergovernmental Conference.

The Prime Minister emphasized that every closed chapter represents tangible proof that enlargement works when commitment, reforms, and political will come together.

“For Montenegro, the accession process has never been merely a technical procedure of legal alignment. It is a transformative national project and a generational dream. It is about sharing European values and ensuring that our citizens enjoy the security, stability, and prosperity that come with EU membership,” said the Prime Minister.

By closing these two chapters, Montenegro remains fully committed to contributing to the project of a stronger, more competitive, and more prosperous Europe for all its citizens, he stated.

The Prime Minister welcomed the provisional closure of Chapter 2 (Freedom of Movement for Workers) and Chapter 28 (Consumer and Health Protection).

“These two chapters are very different, but together they tell a powerful story about what European integration means for our citizens,” the Prime Minister said in his address, explaining that Chapter 2 concerns citizens’ ability to move, work, and build their future across Europe, with equal treatment, protection under social security systems, and access to healthcare.

During his remarks, he highlighted that Chapter 28 is about protection and trust, noting that a modern consumer protection framework has been adopted, product safety standards have been improved, market surveillance mechanisms have been strengthened, and institutions responsible for protecting consumer rights have been empowered.

Taken together, these chapters reflect the essence of the European social and economic model: freedom, opportunity, security, and protection, he assessed.

“With today’s closures, Montenegro has now provisionally closed three out of four chapters that encompass the four fundamental freedoms of the European Union. Today also means that we have provisionally closed seven out of ten chapters within Cluster 2 – Internal Market,” he said.

However, as he emphasized, closing chapters is not the end of reforms, but rather confirmation that reforms are delivering results.

“I am confident that 2026 will be remembered as a turning point for European enlargement and as the year in which the European Union, following its last enlargement, finally reaffirmed once again the transformative power of its enlargement policy,” Spajić concluded.

The address by the Prime Minister can be downloaded below.

Address by the Prime Minister of Montenegro Milojko Spajić at the Intergovernmental Conference in Luxembourg