Montenegro takes historic step toward EU membership: working group to draft Accession Treaty

Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajić has announced the formation of a special working group tasked with drafting the Treaty of Accession to the European Union – in his words the first such group established since 2013.

This marks a significant milestone in Montenegro’s EU integration process, moving the country from the negotiating phase toward the final legal and technical preparations for full membership.

Speaking about the decision, Spajić emphasized its importance: “For the first time since 2013, a working group is being formed to draft the Treaty of Accession to the European Union.” He described the move as a concrete result of the accelerated reforms and progress Montenegro has achieved in recent years.

Croatia was the last country to join the European Union. It signed its Accession Treaty in 2011 and officially became the EU’s 28th member state on 1 July 2013.

What this means

The working group, approved on 22 April 2026 by EU ambassadors in Brussels, will begin outlining the legally binding Accession Treaty – the document that will formally define the terms under which Montenegro joins the EU as its 28th member state.

This step usually occurs only in the advanced stages of accession, once a candidate country has made substantial progress in closing negotiating chapters and aligning with EU law (the acquis communautaire).

Montenegro, which opened EU accession negotiations in 2012, remains the frontrunner among Western Balkan candidates. As of March 2026, it has provisionally closed 14 out of 33 negotiating chapters, with several more in advanced stages. The government has set an ambitious target of closing all remaining chapters by the end of 2026, with full EU membership possible by 2028.

Context and next steps

The formation of the ad hoc working group follows the 26th EU-Montenegro Accession Conference held in March 2026, during which Chapter 21 (Trans-European Networks) was provisionally closed. EU officials have welcomed Montenegro’s reform momentum, particularly in infrastructure, financial control, and alignment with European standards.

Key challenges remain, especially in the sensitive “Fundamentals” cluster – Chapters 23 (Judiciary and Fundamental Rights) and 24 (Justice, Freedom and Security) – where rule-of-law reforms are critical.

The new working group will focus on the technical and legal drafting of the treaty, involving experts from both Montenegro and the EU institutions. Its work signals growing confidence in Brussels that Montenegro is on a credible path toward membership.

Prime Minister Spajić has repeatedly stated that EU accession is a top national priority, describing recent reforms as an “unprecedented tsunami of change” aimed at transforming the country and strengthening its European future.

This development comes at a time when EU enlargement has regained strategic importance amid regional and geopolitical challenges, positioning Montenegro as a potential success story for the Western Balkans.

The original article in Montenegrin by EUalive’s partner AntenaM can be found here.

Caption: (L-R) European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, Prime Minister of Montenegro Milojko Spajic, and Deputy Minister for European Affairs of Cyprus Marilena Raouna pose for an official photo following the Accession Conference with Montenegro at the European Council in Brussels, Belgium, 17 March 2026. EPA/OLIVIER MATTHYS