Accession of Montenegro to the European Union
Encyclopedia
The State Union of Serbia and Montenegro
started the process of Accession to the European Union
in November 2005, when negotiations over a Stabilisation and Association Agreement began. In May 2006, Montenegro
voted for independence in a referendum
and the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro was dissolved. Serbia
continued with the existing negotiations, and separate negotiations were launched with Montenegro in September 2006. The Agreement was initialled on 15 March 2007 and officially signed on 15 October 2007.
The European Commission on 9 November 2010 recommended Montenegro as candidate country. This candidate status was officially granted on 17 December 2010.
Montenegro is experiencing ecological, judicial and crime-related problems that may hinder its bid. Montenegro signed an agreement with the Bulgarian government in December 2007 in which Bulgaria will assist Montenegro with its Euro-Atlantic and EU integration for the following three years.
On July 27, 2010, the Montenegrin Parliament passed a non-discrimination law that includes sexual orientation
and gender identity
as prohibited grounds of discrimination. This was one of the requirements the country had to meet for EU membership.
Montenegro unilaterally adopted the German mark
as its state currency in November 1999, and unilaterally switched to the euro
when it was launched in 2002.
Montenegro's population is overwhelmingly for joining the EU, 76.2% being in favor according to polling and only 9.8% against.
Serbia and Montenegro
Serbia and Montenegro was a country in southeastern Europe, formed from two former republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia : Serbia and Montenegro. Following the breakup of Yugoslavia, it was established in 1992 as a federation called the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia...
started the process of Accession to the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
in November 2005, when negotiations over a Stabilisation and Association Agreement began. In May 2006, Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
voted for independence in a referendum
Montenegrin independence referendum, 2006
The Montenegrin independence referendum was a referendum on the independence of the Republic of Montenegro from the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro that was held on 21 May 2006.The total turnout of the referendum was 86.5%...
and the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro was dissolved. Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
continued with the existing negotiations, and separate negotiations were launched with Montenegro in September 2006. The Agreement was initialled on 15 March 2007 and officially signed on 15 October 2007.
Application
Montenegro officially applied to join the EU on 15 December 2008. On 23 April 2009, the Council invited the European Commission to submit its opinion on the application. The Commission presented Montenegro with a questionnaire to assess its application on 22 July 2009. On 9 December 2009, Montenegro delivered its answers to the EC questionnaire. On 1 May 2010, the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) between Montenegro and the European Union came into force, after all the 27 member-states of EU had ratified the SAA.The European Commission on 9 November 2010 recommended Montenegro as candidate country. This candidate status was officially granted on 17 December 2010.
Montenegro is experiencing ecological, judicial and crime-related problems that may hinder its bid. Montenegro signed an agreement with the Bulgarian government in December 2007 in which Bulgaria will assist Montenegro with its Euro-Atlantic and EU integration for the following three years.
On July 27, 2010, the Montenegrin Parliament passed a non-discrimination law that includes sexual orientation
Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...
and gender identity
Gender identity
A gender identity is the way in which an individual self-identifies with a gender category, for example, as being either a man or a woman, or in some cases being neither, which can be distinct from biological sex. Basic gender identity is usually formed by age three and is extremely difficult to...
as prohibited grounds of discrimination. This was one of the requirements the country had to meet for EU membership.
Montenegro unilaterally adopted the German mark
German mark
The Deutsche Mark |mark]], abbreviated "DM") was the official currency of West Germany and Germany until the adoption of the euro in 2002. It is commonly called the "Deutschmark" in English but not in German. Germans often say "Mark" or "D-Mark"...
as its state currency in November 1999, and unilaterally switched to the euro
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
when it was launched in 2002.
Montenegro's population is overwhelmingly for joining the EU, 76.2% being in favor according to polling and only 9.8% against.
Negotiation progress
| Acquis chapter | EC Assessment At Start | Screening Started | Screening Completed | Chapter Opened | Chapter Closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Free Movement of Goods | Considerable efforts needed | – | – | – | – |
| 2. Freedom of Movement For Workers | Further efforts needed | – | – | – | – |
| 3. Right of Establishment & Freedom To Provide Services | Further efforts needed | – | – | – | – |
| 4. Free Movement of Capital | Further efforts needed | – | – | – | – |
| 5. Public Procurement | Further efforts needed | – | – | – | – |
| 6. Company Law | Further efforts needed | – | – | – | – |
| 7. Intellectual Property Law | Considerable efforts needed | – | – | – | – |
| 8. Competition Policy | Further efforts needed | – | – | – | – |
| 9. Financial Services | Further efforts needed | – | – | – | – |
| 10. Information Society & Media | Further efforts needed | – | – | – | – |
| 11. Agriculture & Rural Development | Considerable efforts needed | – | – | – | – |
| 12. Food Safety, Veterinary & Phytosanitary Policy | Considerable efforts needed | – | – | – | – |
| 13. Fisheries | Considerable efforts needed | – | – | – | – |
| 14. Transport Policy | Further efforts needed | – | – | – | – |
| 15. Energy | Further efforts needed | – | – | – | – |
| 16. Taxation | No major difficulties expected | – | – | – | – |
| 17. Economic & Monetary Policy | Further efforts needed | – | – | – | – |
| 18. Statistics | Considerable efforts needed | – | – | – | – |
| 19. Social Policy & Employment | Considerable efforts needed | – | – | – | – |
| 20. Enterprise & Industrial Policy | No major difficulties expected | – | – | – | – |
| 21. Trans-European Networks | Further efforts needed | – | – | – | – |
| 22. Regional Policy & Coordination of Structural Instruments | Considerable efforts needed | – | – | – | – |
| 23. Judiciary & Fundamental Rights | Considerable efforts needed | – | – | – | – |
| 24. Justice, Freedom & Security | Considerable efforts needed | – | – | – | – |
| 25. Science & Research | No major difficulties expected | – | – | – | – |
| 26. Education & Culture | No major difficulties expected | – | – | – | – |
| 27. Environment | Totally incompatible with acquis | – | – | – | – |
| 28. Consumer & Health Protection | Further efforts needed | – | – | – | – |
| 29. Customs Union | No major difficulties expected | – | – | – | – |
| 30. External Relations | No major difficulties expected | – | – | – | – |
| 31. Foreign, Security & Defence Policy | No major difficulties expected | – | – | – | – |
| 32. Financial Control | Considerable efforts needed | – | – | – | – |
| 33. Financial & Budgetary Provisions | No major difficulties expected | – | – | – | – |
| 34. Institutions | Nothing to adopt | – | – | – | – |
| 35. Other Issues | Nothing to adopt | – | – | – | – |
| Progress | 0 out of 33 | 0 out of 33 | 0 out of 35 | 0 out of 35 |
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 15 October 2007 | Montenegro signs the Stabilisation and Association Agreement. |
| 15 December 2008 | Formal application for membership submitted. |
| 12 April 2010 | Montenegro submits answers to the Commission's Questionnaire. |
| 9 November 2010 | European Commission replies to the answers of the Questionnaire with a positive opinion (Avis).. |
| 17 December 2010 | Montenegro receives official candidate status. |
| 12 October 2011 | Commission recommends starting of negotiations. |