Accession Conference with Montenegro - International ministerial meetings

12 octobre 2026

Council of the European Union Conseil européen

00:39 - 00:59
Intervenant 4
Okay, evening everyone and welcome to this press conference following today's EU-Montenegro Intergovernmental Conference.  We are joined by Ireland's Minister of State for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne, the Prime Minister of Montenegro, Milojko Spajić, and the EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi.  I'll first give the floor to Minister Byrne. 
00:59 - 03:10
Intervenant 3
Thanks very much.  It was a real pleasure to chair the 29th accession conference today with Montenegro, together with Commissioner Várhelyi and Montenegro Prime Minister Spajić, to continue to advance Montenegro's accession process.  Today, the Council has confirmed that Montenegro is ready to close three additional negotiating chapters.  Today, Montenegro closes Chapter 18 on Statistics, Chapter 19 on Social Policy and Employment, and Chapter 33 on Financial and Budgetary Provisions.  The Council today also approved conclusions on the financial package for Montenegro, which look forward to the presentation of Chapter 33 in the coming weeks, and this will be another significant milestone. 

Montenegro has now closed 21 negotiating chapters.  This means that Montenegro has not only closed more than half of its negotiating chapters, but has also gathered momentum towards completing the technical phase of the accession negotiation through the closure of all chapters.  As the work of the ad hoc committee on the drafting of the Treaty of Accession with Montenegro also continues, we can see Montenegro's accession to the European Union drawing closer every day.  Montenegro's accession path demonstrates that enlargement is possible.  It demonstrates that enlargement is a success story. 

Today, we send a clear message: the EU is preparing the ground for the accession of its next member state.  The adoption of the Council conclusions on the financial package for Montenegro's accession negotiations was another important milestone in the accession process.  I'm confident that this year's enlargement report, which is expected at the end of the month, will confirm the positive momentum behind the candidacy of Montenegro.  Let me conclude not only thanking Montenegro's institutions, but also the citizens of Montenegro.  You continue to demonstrate remarkable support and remarkable commitment for your country's European path. 

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