BRUSSELS — Montenegro could provisionally close its remaining European Union accession chapters by the end of 2026, the European Commission said on Nov. 4 in its annual Enlargement Package.
Montenegro has provisionally closed 21 chapters to date, the Commission said. Closing the rest requires the agreement of member states, it said.
Key facts
- The package covers Montenegro, Albania, Moldova, Ukraine, Serbia, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Türkiye and Georgia, the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) reported.
- The Commission set indicative roadmaps with milestones for Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine and Moldova.
- Albania aims to conclude accession negotiations by 2027, the Commission said.
- Moldova aims to close negotiations by early 2028, and Ukraine by the end of 2028, the Commission said.
- Serbia made no substantive progress in its negotiations, and Georgia’s accession process is de facto halted, the Commission said.
What the leaders said
The package “allows us to turn the promise of enlargement into reality,” Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in the release.
“Today, we are merely a short time away from completing the process of Montenegro’s integration into the EU,” Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said.
Kos said at a Nov. 4 press conference that Montenegro’s roadmap points to EU membership in 2028, The Parliament Magazine reported.
Ukraine and Moldova: differing readings
The Commission said both Ukraine and Moldova have met the conditions to open all remaining negotiating clusters. It said Ukraine’s anti-corruption framework “remains effective.”
The Parliament Magazine reported that the Commission found little to no progress in Ukraine on reforms tied to corruption and organized crime. An unnamed Commission official told the magazine that Ukraine would miss the end-2028 target at its current pace. That claim rests on one anonymous source and is unconfirmed.
What comes next
The Commission said it is now for the Council, representing member states, to consider the recommendations. It also presented a framework for gradual integration, with dialogues to start over the next six months.
Related coverage
Sources
- European Commission, “2026 Enlargement Package shows reform commitment, delivers progress towards EU membership,” Nov. 4, 2026
- BTA, “European Commission adopts annual enlargement package,” Nov. 4, 2026
- The Parliament Magazine, “What to expect from the 2026 enlargement review,” updated Nov. 4, 2026
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