The European Commission presented on Tuesday a financial package for Montenegro’s accession to the European Union, estimating the cost of the country’s integration at 3.189 billion euros for the budgetary period 2028-2034, reports EFE, relayed by Agerpres.
The document, proposed on Tuesday by the community executive, establishes the budgetary provisions that would apply to Montenegro from the first day of accession and represents a formal step towards closing chapter 33 – financial and budgetary provisions – of the accession negotiations.
To avoid disruptions in fund management, Montenegro, as a candidate country, will need to develop an implementation plan following the same logic that will be required of member states in the next multiannual budget, so that it can automatically become its national plan on the day of accession.
Early integration from January 1, 2028
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, stated on Tuesday that the package is “another concrete step towards Montenegro’s future in our Union”, emphasizing that “enlargement is successful when it is a common European project, based on merit, commitment and trust”.
The majority of the funds, 2.076 billion euros, will be allocated to economic cohesion, agriculture, and internal security, with 155 million annually in unallocated funds and 84.5 million for border management and security, without staging, as Montenegro will become an external border of the EU from the moment of its accession.
Agricultural payments will be introduced gradually, starting from 40% of the level applicable to other member states in the first year and progressively increasing until parity is reached within ten years.
Details, HERE