Council gives green light to membership talks with Montenegro

Montenegro is ready to start talks to join the European Union, the General Affairs Council decided on 26 June 2012. The EU heads of state and government will have to endorse this decision at their meeting on 28-29 June.

Flag of Montenegro
© dario – Fotolia.com

If the European Council gives the final go-ahead to the negotiations, they could be opened as early as 29 June.

A country's progress towards EU accession depends on its individual efforts to fulfil a set of requirements known as the Copenhagen criteria. These include, for instance, stable democratic institutions and a functioning market economy.

Montenegro applied for EU membership in December 2008.

More information:
Council conclusions on Montenegro (pdf)
EU enlargement – Montenegro
Montenegro – country profile (Commission webpages)
EU–Montenegro relations (EEAS webpages)