Accession of Montenegro to the European Union
- European Union
- Montenegro
Montenegro is since 17 December 2010, the European Union ( EU) candidate status.
Relations between Montenegro and the European Union
The Council of the European Union has decided to forward the Montenegrin membership application to the European Commission on 23 April 2009. He thus initiated the formal accession procedures under Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union ( TEU). The European Commission is currently preparing its opinion on Montenegro's application for membership. She Montenegro submitted an extensive questionnaire in July 2009, to which the government in Podgorica has submitted their responses in December 2009. On 9 November 2010 the European Commission to Montenegro was the candidate status. This was officially awarded on the EU summit on 17 December 2010 by the European Council. On 26 June 2012, the Minister for Europe of the EU member countries recommended the opening of accession negotiations. This decision was officially confirmed at the Summit of Heads of State and Government on 29 June 2012.
Reform state
The European Commission monitors the progress of reforms in Montenegro on its path towards the European Union in its enlargement strategy and progress reports, which appear every year in the fall. The Council of the European Union stressed in its conclusions of 7/8 December 2009 Montenegro:
Stabilisation and Association Process
The Stabilisation and Association Agreement ( SAA) between the EU and Montenegro was signed on 15 October 2007. An Interim Agreement, which mainly includes commercial parts, entered into force on 1 January 2008. The SAA itself had to be ratified by all EU Member States and Montenegro in the parliamentary process. It entered into force on 1 May 2010.
Financial support of the EU reform process in Montenegro
The EU supports financially Montenegro, especially in the framework of the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA), which runs until 2013. From 2007 to 2010 Montenegro was 113.46 million euros from IPA funds. From 1998 to 2006, the country was already on the EU program Community Assistance for Reconstruction, Development and Stabilisation (CARDS ) were supported with 277.2 million euros.
Overview of the negotiation progress
In the week from 26 to 30 March 2012, the screening of the negotiating chapters started. On December 18, 2012, Chapter 25, 26 and opened on April 15, 2013, the Chapter on 18 December 2013, Chapters 5, 6, 20, 23 and 24.
Negotiation progress:
- Completed screening
- Opening chapter
- Completed Chapter
Euro
Montenegro does not belong to the European Monetary Union. Nevertheless, the euro is legal tender in the country.
Montenegro had drawn since November 2000 unilaterally Yugoslav dinar from circulation. Just one year earlier, with the monetary turbulence of the Kosovo war, the D- Mark was introduced as a parallel currency that was replaced by the euro in 2002.
Visa liberalization
On 1 January 2008 visa facilitation and readmission agreement with the EU came into force in all countries of the Western Balkans ( excluding Kosovo). Subsequently, the European Commission has handed over together with the participating States roadmaps for visa exemption. After Montenegro, Serbia and Macedonia were the terms of timetables fully met, the EU granted since December 19, 2009 visa-free regime for these countries. It applies to tourist travel to all Schengen countries for up to 90 days. Requirement is that travelers have a biometric passport and take up gainful employment.