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On the EU side, preparations for Montenegro’s integration are ongoing as well. The EU Commission and several member states have thrown their full support behind Podgorica’s endeavor, and the European Council is expected to form a working group on drafting Montenegro’s accession treaty before the end of the year. This treaty is expected to become a blueprint for future accessions, including for Albania, Moldova and Ukraine whose progress and ambitions put them next in line. In parallel, the discussion has become increasingly entangled with questions of EU internal reform and the demand for safeguards preventing negative effects on the EU in case of backsliding of new member states.
Finally, in order to strengthen the EU via enlargement, both member states and candidate countries must ensure that their citizens are on board. While a recent Eurobarometer shows overall support among EU citizens, many of them do not feel sufficiently informed and enlargement is not yet featured prominently in most European capitals and public discourse, leaving spaces for disinformation by malign actors from inside and outside the Union.
The event will feature a keynote speech by Minister of European Affairs of Montenegro Maida GORČEVIĆ, followed by comments from Marko MAKOVEC, Head of Cabinet of Marta Kos, Commissioner for EU Enlargement, and Iliriana GJONI, Research Analyst at Carnegie Europe. Frauke M. SEEBASS of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) will moderate the discussion.
Download the agenda: Program 25-12-16 Montenegro.pdf
