EU Forms Panel to Draft Montenegro Accession Treaty

EU member states took a significant step toward expanding the bloc on Wednesday by agreeing to establish an ad hoc working party to draft an accession treaty for Montenegro, advancing the Balkan nation's long-standing bid to join the European Union.

Ambassadors from the 27 EU countries made the decision during a meeting in Brussels, marking the first such preparation for enlargement in more than a decade. European Council President António Costa described the move as a "key milestone" and a "big step towards your accession to the European Union." He noted that the EU was now "starting the clock for the next enlargement."

Montenegro, a candidate country since 2010, has pursued membership talks for 14 years, positioning itself as a frontrunner alongside Albania since Croatia joined in 2013. The nation has concluded negotiations on 14 of 35 policy clusters, which group requirements in areas such as taxation, governance, and environmental policy. Officials in Podgorica aim to complete the process and achieve full membership by 2028.

The decision drew praise from Montenegrin leaders. At a Joint Consultative Committee meeting on Friday in the capital, Podgorica, Minister for European...