The fourth meeting of the Accession Conference with Montenegro at the ministerial level was held in Luxembourg on June 24. It opened negotiations on Chapters 4 (Free movement of capital), 31 (Foreign security and defence policy) and 32 (Financial control), the government of Montenegro said in a press release.
In addition, the conference confirmed at a ministerial level the opening of Chapters 7 (Intellectual property law) and 10 (Information society and media), which were considered at the Accession Conference with Montenegro at the Deputy Level, held in Brussels on March 31.
The EU delegation was led by Greece’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos. The Montenegrin delegation was led by Montenegro’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and European Integration Igor Luksic. The European Commission was represented by EU Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Commissioner Štefan Füle.
With the conference on June 24, out of a total of 35 negotiation chapters, 12 chapters have now been opened for negotiations of which two chapters have already been provisionally closed. Further Accession Conferences will be planned, as appropriate, in order to take the process forward in the second half of 2014. The accession negotiations were launched in June 2012.
Regarding the opening of negotiations on Chapter 4, 31 and 32, the European Union has closely examined Montenegro’s present state of preparations. Based on the understanding that Montenegro has to continue to make progress in the alignment with and implementation of the acquis in these chapters, the EU noted that there are benchmarks that need to be met for provisional closure of these chapters.
In addition, the EU underlined that it would devote particular attention to monitoring all specific issues mentioned in its common positions. Monitoring of progress in the alignment with and implementation of the acquis will continue throughout the negotiations. If necessary, the EU will revisit these chapters.
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