Montenegro has fulfilled 88% of its commitments under the Reform Agenda for the EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, placing it first in the region, said Gert Jan Koopman, Director of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy (DG ENER).
Speaking at the Western Balkans Growth Plan Summit in Skopje, Koopman noted that all Western Balkan countries are diligently implementing their Reform Agendas, with further improvements expected by the end of the reporting period. Following Montenegro, Albania has achieved 80%, North Macedonia 76%, Kosovo 65%, and Serbia 53%.
Koopman emphasized that the Growth Plan is already delivering tangible benefits for citizens and economies across the region, with countries committed to fulfilling their reform obligations.
Montenegro’s Minister of European Affairs, Maida Gorčević, highlighted the strong political will and capacity for swift and efficient reforms, stressing that EU accession negotiations and the Growth Plan have become a unified framework for accelerated integration. She noted the recent closing of Chapter 5 (Public Procurement) as a significant boost to institutional optimism.
Gorčević underlined that most of the remaining work on both negotiation chapters and the Reform Agenda is expected to be completed within the next 18 to 24 months.
She also pointed out the strategic importance of Montenegro joining the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), which facilitates fast, low-cost money transfers with the EU and enhances business opportunities, especially for small and medium enterprises.
Gorčević stressed that the real value lies in the sense of belonging, with Montenegrin citizens now enjoying rights equal to EU citizens.
She called for joint regional and EU efforts to leverage the Growth Plan as a powerful tool to drive reforms, improve quality of life, and refocus the European perspective on the Western Balkans.
The summit also presented concrete measures within the Growth Plan, including digital innovation hubs, infrastructure development, EU single market integration, and green corridors, alongside new initiatives on European tourism networks, consumer protection tools, and guidelines for EU single market accession.
On the sidelines of the summit, Gorčević exchanged experiences with Albania’s chief negotiator and Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Majlinda Duka, agreeing that enhanced knowledge sharing and regional coordination are essential for the success of the Western Balkans’ European agenda.
