{"id":3021943,"date":"2026-03-18T11:59:43","date_gmt":"2026-03-18T10:59:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/webalkans.eu\/?p=3021943"},"modified":"2026-03-18T13:21:07","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T12:21:07","slug":"eu-and-montenegro-provisionally-close-chapter-on-trans-european-networks-in-accession-negotiations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/webalkans.eu\/en\/news\/eu-and-montenegro-provisionally-close-chapter-on-trans-european-networks-in-accession-negotiations\/","title":{"rendered":"EU and Montenegro provisionally close chapter on Trans-European networks in accession negotiations"},"content":{"rendered":"

The 26th<\/sup>\u00a0meeting of the Accession Conference with Montenegro provisionally closed accession negotiations on chapter\u00a021\u00a0<\/strong>(Trans-European networks).<\/p>\n

In the current geopolitical context, enlargement is more than ever a geostrategic investment in peace, security, stability, and prosperity. I am delighted to see another negotiating chapter with Montenegro being closed today, in the second Intergovernmental Conference for Montenegro under the Cyprus presidency, bringing their total number to 14. Montenegro remains a frontrunner in the enlargement process and today\u2019s progress confirms the strong momentum of its accession negotiations, which is based on own merits.<\/p>\n

Marilena Raouna, Deputy Minister for European affairs of the Republic of Cyprus, on behalf of the Cyprus presidency of the Council of the EU<\/strong><\/p>\n

The EU may, if necessary, return to this chapter at an appropriate moment.<\/p>\n

This provisional closure follows less than two months after the\u00a0previous accession conference on 26 January 2026<\/strong>, which provisionally closed chapter 32 on financial control. Monitoring of progress in the alignment with and implementation of the EU\u00a0acquis<\/em>\u00a0will continue throughout the negotiations.<\/p>\n

Montenegro has\u00a0opened all 33 negotiating chapters<\/strong>\u00a0in its EU accession negotiations. With the provisional closure agreed today, a total of\u00a0fourteen of these chapters have now been provisionally closed.<\/strong>\u00a0According to the negotiating principles endorsed by the Accession Conference, agreements reached in the course of negotiations on specific chapters may not be considered as final until an overall agreement has been reached for all chapters.<\/p>\n

Background<\/p>\n

The European Union delegation was led by Ms Marilena Raouna, Deputy Minister for European affairs of the Republic of Cyprus, on behalf of the Cyprus presidency of the Council of the EU, with the participation of Commissioner for Enlargement, Ms Marta Kos. The Montenegrin delegation was led by Mr Milojko Spaji\u0107, Prime Minister of Montenegro.<\/p>\n