Montenegro passes halfway mark in EU accession talks

Montenegro has provisionally closed negotiations on Chapter 8, Competition Policy, and Chapter 29, Customs Union, on its path toward membership of the European Union, Report's Balkan bureau informs.

The decision was made today in Brussels during the 28th meeting of the Accession Conference with Montenegro.

Irish Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence Thomas Byrne, speaking on behalf of the Irish presidency of the EU Council, said he was proud that the first intergovernmental conference with Montenegro was held during Ireland's presidency and that two more negotiation chapters were provisionally closed.

"With 18 chapters now provisionally closed, Montenegro has completed more than half of the accession process and continues to lead the way toward joining the European Union," Byrne said.

He said EU enlargement was a geopolitical necessity for ensuring stability, security and democratic reforms in Europe, adding that the issue would remain one of the key priorities of Ireland's presidency.

The EU may revisit the chapters in the future if necessary.

Montenegro has opened all 33 negotiation chapters envisaged under its EU accession talks. Following today's agreement, 18 of them have been provisionally closed.

Under the negotiation principles approved by the Accession Conference, agreements reached on individual chapters are not considered final until an overall agreement is reached.

On July 14, the EU held enlargement intergovernmental conferences with four candidate countries at the same time for the first time in more than 20 years.