European Commission’s 2025 Report on Montenegro
Montenegro’s EU Path Hinges on Tangible Results in Rule of Law and Reform
Publication of the 2025 Enlargement Package comes at a crucial moment for Montenegro, slightly more than a year after the country received a positive IBAR (Interim Benchmarks Assessment Report), which marked the entry of the negotiation process into a new phase focused on meeting the closing benchmarks and delivering concrete results in implementation. This year’s report of the European Commission (EC) reaffirms Montenegro’s status as the most advanced candidate country, while at the same time the EC underlines that progress is now assessed exclusively on the basis of concrete and measurable results in the implementation of reforms. The 2025 Report brings several key messages that will shape Montenegro’s political and economic environment in the period ahead.
RULE OF LAW: FROM LEGISLATION TO JUDGMENTS
After the 2024 emphasis on adopting the legislative framework required for the IBAR, the 2025 Report shifts the focus toward putting those reforms into practice and delivering sustainable results. The European Commission acknowledges progress in negotiating chapters 23 and 24 but stresses the importance of strengthening the overall track record. The European Commission highlights the need for the reformed judiciary to deliver measurable results. This includes ensuring continuity in investigations and increasing the number of final convictions in cases of high level corruption and organized crime. The assessment also sends a signal to investors that legal certainty is gradually strengthening, even though the process is still not fully complete.
GEOSTRATEGIC ALIGNMENT AS A CONSTANT
What remains Montenegro’s strongest foreign policy asset is its high level of alignment with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy. This consistency is once again highly valued in the Report. In a period of global instability, it stands as one of Podgorica’s key arguments in its dialogue with Member States, reaffirming Montenegro’s geostrategic orientation without reservation.
SECTORAL OVERVIEW
An analysis by negotiating clusters reveals a detailed picture of Montenegro’s technical readiness and institutional maturity.
As in previous years, Cluster 6 (External Relations) remains stable. In Chapter 31 (Foreign, Security and Defence Policy), the Report notes “good progress” and confirms Montenegro’s continued high level of alignment with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy, a development the Commission particularly welcomes as a sign of strategic consistency in a complex geopolitical environment.
In Cluster 1 (Fundamentals), the Commission reports “significant progress” in the areas of statistics (Chapter 18) and financial control (Chapter 32), both of which are assessed as technically ready for closure. This outcome confirms the stability of administrative capacities in key institutional areas and strengthens the credibility of the overall negotiation process. “Good progress” has also been recorded in areas essential for the functioning of the internal market, including Chapter 5 (Public Procurement), which was provisionally closed in June 2025, accompanied by the Commission’s praise for advances in the digitalization and transparency of procedures.
A positive development has also been noted in Chapter 25 (Science and Research), where continuous alignment of legislation and cooperation with European research frameworks is recorded. In Cluster 3 (Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth), the Report notes “moderate progress,” particularly in the areas of employment, social policy and digital transformation (Chapters 19 and 20). The Commission highlights the need for greater investment in skills development and support for youth entrepreneurship, which would contribute to sustainable economic growth and a more resilient labour market. On the other hand, the Report clearly identifies several areas requiring urgent attention. “Limited progress” remains the standard assessment for Chapter 8 (Competition), where Brussels continues to insist on the full independence of the state aid control authority and greater transparency in the allocation of state aid, still one of the key structural challenges of Montenegro’s economy.
In Cluster 4 (Green Agenda and Sustainable Connectivity), the Commission emphasizes the need for increased investment in transport and energy infrastructure, as well as for strengthening the capacities required to fulfil obligations under the Green Agenda. In Chapter 15 (Energy), the Report notes “limited progress,” accompanied by a recommendation to accelerate the implementation of decarbonization measures and to increase the share of renewable energy sources.
Chapter 27 (Environment and Climate Change) also remains financially and administratively demanding. Although there is “some progress” in the legislative framework, the Commission stresses the need for substantial investment in infrastructure (wastewater treatment, waste management) and for strengthening administrative capacities to implement the complex EU standards in this area.
ECONOMY AND ADMINISTRATIVE CHALLENGES
In the economic section, the Report notes that Montenegro has reached a good level of preparedness in developing a functioning market economy. The European Commission points to progress in maintaining macroeconomic stability, while emphasizing the need for fiscal discipline and structural reforms to ensure long term resilience to competitive pressures within the Union. However, the Commission warns of limited administrative capacities, particularly within the public administration, and makes it clear that a faster pace of closing negotiating chapters requires a strong, professional and depoliticized civil service. Montenegro’s ability to retain and motivate qualified staff will be crucial for completing the process and for the effective use of funds under the EU Growth Plan.
THE YEAR OF IMPLEMENTATION
The European Commission’s 2025 Report provides an overview of progress and identifies the priority areas for further implementation. The Commission confirms that the path to membership remains open and achievable, while noting that any further advancement will be measured through concrete results in applying EU standards. For Montenegro, the key message is to maintain a focused approach to implementing reforms and to consolidate the results achieved so far.