Podgorica/Brussels, 12 December 2025, dtt-net.com – Montenegro is expected to close only three of five negotiating chapters of cluster 5 (Resources, agriculture and cohesion) in EU membership talks next week because of France complaints, according to Montenegro media. Daily Vijesti said that French government has objections related to chapter 11 (Agriculture and rural development) and chapter 13 (Fisheries and aquaculture) daily Vijesti reported citing unnamed sources from the EU.
According to the daily, French diplomats in Brussels consider that Montenegro has not fully aligned the two chapters with EU conditions. The exact details of complaint of Paris remains unknown, however, but local media report that the outcome could be treated again next week at ministerial level of 27 member countries on Monday, a day before the Montenegro-EU Intergovernmental Conference, called for closing the chapter.
According to Vijesti, if no deal reached with France, then three other chapters will be closed only of the cluster.
The three other chapters are Chapter 12 (Food safety, veterinary and phytosanitary policy) , Chapter 22 (Regional policy and coordination of structural instruments) and Chapter 33 (Financial and budgetary provisions).
Of the six countries of the region, Montenegro is frontrunner in EU accession negotiations. Since it launched EU accession negotiations in 2012, out of a total 35 negotiating chapters Podgorica has opened 33 for negotiations and closed 7 chapters. 2 chapters are automatically opened and closed.
Montenegro officials hope the country will become EU member in 2028.
