Toetredingsonderhandelingen Montenegro van start (en)

The second meeting of the Accession Conference with Montenegro at Ministerial level was held today, December 18, in Brussels to open and provisionally close the first negotiating chapter for Montenegro on science and research. Today’s Accession Conference marked the start of substantial accession negotiations with the country, following their launch on June 29 2012, and paves the way for further advancement in the negotiations. The conference was followed by the EU-Montenegro Stabilisation and Association Council.

The European Union delegation was led by Dr. Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus. The Montenegrin delegation was led by Igor Lukšić, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and European Integration. Štefan Füle, Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, also participated.

Good progress in the screening

Since the launching of accession negotiations, good progress has been achieved in the analytical examination (screening) of the EU acquis, with the completion of screening for the key chapters on judiciary and fundamental rights and justice, freedom and security. In line with the Negotiating Framework these two chapters are being addressed early in the negotiations.

Commissioner Füle expressed “warm gratitude to the Cyprus Presidency” noting that “your determination was key to have this Accession Conference today”. Furthermore, Deputy Prime Minister Lukšić thanked the Cyprus Presidency “for its efficient and ambitious chairing of this process.”

Stabilisation and Association Council

Following the Association Conference, the 3rd EU-Montenegro Stabilisation and Association Council meeting was also held today during which there was an extensive political dialogue between the EU and the Montenegrin delegation on key issues of the Western Balkans.

Please see the Joint Press Release for the Stabilisation and Association Council here.