Montenegro advances in its negotiations to join the European Union (EU) with the aim of closing the pending chapters of its accession process before the end of 2026. The Balkan country has managed to provisionally complete 21 of the 33 chapters opened with Brussels, after both parties reached new agreements on economic and monetary policy, statistics, and social rights on Monday, October 12. The government of Milojko Spajić intends to conclude the talks this year and make Montenegro the twenty-eighth member state of the EU in 2028.
However, the accession still does not have an approved date. Although the community institutions have supported the progress of Podgorica, the closure of negotiations does not imply automatic entry into the Union, as the country must complete the committed reforms, agree on the final conditions of its accession, and obtain the consent of the member states.
The possible accession also has implications for Spain, which has supported Montenegro's integration as part of its commitment to the stability of the Western Balkans and which, in addition to the commercial opportunities that may arise, will have to participate in the decisions regarding the conditions for the country's entry into the EU.
Montenegro closes 21 chapters and maintains the goal of finishing negotiations in 2026
The last intergovernmental conference between Montenegro and the EU, held on October 12 in Luxembourg, allowed for the provisional closure of three new chapters related to economic and monetary policy, statistics, and social and employment policy. These agreements add to those reached in previous months in areas such as competition, customs union, free movement of workers, and financial control.
Since negotiations began in June 2012, Montenegro has opened all the chapters that make up the ordinary accession process, although it still has 12 pending provisional closures. Each of them encompasses a part of the community legislation that candidate countries must incorporate and apply before becoming full members.
The Montenegrin Prime Minister, Milojko Spajić, defended during the meeting in Luxembourg that his Government is intensifying the necessary reforms to meet the planned schedule. The Irish presidency of the EU Council, which concludes in December, has also placed the advancement of negotiations among its priorities, although any new closure depends on Montenegro meeting the requirements set by the Twenty-Seven.
The agreements reached so far are provisional, and the European institutions maintain the possibility of reviewing chapters that have already been closed if they detect non-compliance. Therefore, completing the negotiating schedule will require not only resolving outstanding issues but also preserving the progress made in areas that Brussels has already examined.
The judicial reforms and the fight against corruption remain decisive
Among the main demands that Montenegro must meet are those related to judicial independence, the fight against corruption and organized crime, freedom of expression, and the protection of fundamental rights. The European Commission considers that the functioning of judicial institutions is an essential condition for completing the accession process.
In its 2025 assessment, Brussels demanded that the Montenegrin authorities deepen the independence, professionalism, and accountability of judges and prosecutors, in addition to filling the higher responsibility positions that remained vacant. It also pointed out the need to strengthen guarantees for the media and advance in adapting the visa policy to community standards.
Montenegro had already met in June 2024 the intermediate requirements established for the chapters on judicial power and fundamental rights, and on justice, freedom, and security. However, that progress does not equate to the definitive closure of both matters, whose evaluation continues to be conditioned on the effective implementation of reforms.
The European Commission also examines the administrative capacity of the country to implement community legislation, manage European funds, and ensure compliance with the economic and budgetary obligations it will assume when it joins the Union.
From the closure of negotiations to effective accession
Once the conversations about the pending chapters are concluded, Montenegro and the member states must reach a global agreement on the conditions of incorporation, which will be recorded in a Accession Treaty. The document will establish the obligations of the new partner, the possible transitional provisions, and the institutional and financial adjustments resulting from the enlargement.
The EU Council established in April 2026 a specific working group to prepare this treaty, while the European Commission presented in June a proposal on the budgetary consequences of Montenegro's future incorporation. Both initiatives allow for progress in the legal and economic preparations before the sectoral negotiations are completed.
However, the signing of the treaty will not be enough to formalize the entry. The procedure provided for in Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union requires the consent of the European Parliament, the unanimous approval of the member states, and the ratification of the agreement by all parties, in accordance with their respective constitutional procedures.
The 2028 timeline advocated by the Montenegrin Government is, therefore, a political aspiration and not a legally guaranteed accession date. Its fulfillment will depend on the progress of Podgorica, the agreements reached by the Twenty-Seven, and the time necessary to complete the national ratifications.
Spain supports the accession and strengthens its economic relations with Montenegro
The Spanish Government has expressed on several occasions its support for Montenegro's incorporation into the European Union, a position it links to the stability of the Western Balkans and the strengthening of the community presence in the region. In July 2025, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, explicitly supported the goal of the country joining in 2028, during a meeting in Madrid with the Montenegrin Deputy Prime Minister Filip Ivanović.
Both countries then signed an agreement to strengthen administrative cooperation in the European integration process, through the exchange of experiences and technical advice on the implementation of community legislation. Spain has also increased its institutional presence in Montenegro, where it created in 2025 a diplomatic antenna in Podgorica, dependent on its Embassy in Belgrade.
The bilateral cooperation was expanded on June 5, 2026, when Pedro Sánchez and Milojko Spajić signed two agreements during the summit between the EU and the Western Balkans. The documents address the prevention of double taxation and tax evasion, in addition to establishing a framework for economic and financial cooperation in sectors such as transportation, mining, telecommunications, and cybersecurity.
For Spanish companies, a future accession of Montenegro would mean the full integration of its economy into the European single market, with common rules for the circulation of goods, services, capital, and workers. Although Spanish investments in the country are still limited, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there are trade relations in sectors such as chemicals, food, ceramics, and furniture.
The incorporation would also have consequences for Spain as a member state, since Montenegro would participate in the community institutions and in decisions regarding European policies and budgets. The specific economic scope will depend on the conditions agreed upon in the Accession Treaty and the financial rules in force when the entry occurs.
An enlargement with consequences for the Western Balkans
Montenegro applied for EU membership in 2008, two years after gaining independence from the state union it maintained with Serbia, and obtained candidate country status in December 2010. Its negotiation process, initiated in 2012, takes place in a region where other states also aspire to join the community bloc, although their respective candidacies present different degrees of progress.
The Spanish Government believes that the integration of the Western Balkans would help strengthen European security and the political stability of a region that maintains important economic and institutional ties with the Union. During the summit held in Montenegro in June, Pedro Sánchez advocated for a gradual incorporation of candidate countries into certain community policies, as long as they previously meet the required reforms.
The enlargement has also acquired greater geopolitical relevance since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which led European institutions to review their integration and security priorities. In this context, Montenegro's progress constitutes a test of the EU's ability to complete new accession processes after Croatia's entry in 2013.
Although Podgorica maintains its intention to join in 2028, the coming months will be decisive to see if it manages to complete the pending commitments before December. The closure of negotiations would allow the start of the final phase of the procedure, but Montenegro's entry into the EU will still depend on the political and legal agreement of the current member states.