Montenegro to make one more step in EU entry talks, but disputes with Croatia still unsolved

Brussels/Podgorica, 03 November 2026, dtt-net.com – The frontrunner country in EU accession negotiations, Montengro, will close another negotiating chapters in membership negotiations Friday Irish officials announced. “I can confirm that all EU member states have agreed to close negotiating Chapter 1 (free movement of goods) for Montenegro. On Friday, I will chair an Intergovernmental Conference to formally do so,” Irish Minister for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne, the country which holds EU rotating Presidency, announced through X. Montenegro has opened all 33 negotiating chapters in its European Union accession process and has provisionally closed 21 chapters and must close another 12.