Montenegro is expected to take another significant step on its path toward European Union membership by provisionally closing two additional negotiation chapters, further strengthening its position as the most advanced EU candidate country in the Western Balkans.
The planned progress comes as Podgorica continues to intensify reforms aimed at meeting European standards across a wide range of policy areas. Government officials have repeatedly emphasized that 2026 is intended to be a decisive year in the country’s accession process, with the goal of closing all remaining chapters by the end of the year.
Montenegro has already opened all 33 negotiating chapters and currently leads the region in the number of chapters provisionally closed. Following the closure of Chapter 21 on Trans-European Networks in March and Chapter 32 on Financial Control earlier this year, the country has reached a total of 14 provisionally closed chapters.
The latest developments are part of a broader momentum in Montenegro’s European integration efforts. In April, the European Union approved the establishment of a special working group tasked with drafting Montenegro’s accession treaty, a move widely viewed as a major milestone toward eventual membership.
European institutions continue to describe Montenegro as the frontrunner in the enlargement process, while the country itself is targeting EU membership by 2028. Despite the progress, key challenges remain, particularly in the areas of judicial reform, rule of law, anti-corruption measures, and institutional strengthening.
If the two additional chapters are successfully closed, Montenegro will move even closer to completing negotiations and maintaining its lead among candidate countries, reinforcing expectations that it could become the next member state to join the European Union.
