Key facts
- The European Commission said the EU could sign an accession treaty with Montenegro as soon as June 2027.
- The Commission said accession negotiations with Montenegro could realistically be closed by the end of 2026.
European Commission says Montenegro EU accession treaty possible by June 2027
IN SHORT
The European Commission said on November 4, 2026 that the EU could close accession negotiations with Montenegro by the end of 2026 and sign an accession treaty as soon as June 2027. In its annual enlargement policy report, the EU executive said the bloc is in a position to soon close talks with a candidate country for the first time since Croatia in 2011.
Key Numbers
June 2027earliest date the European Commission said an accession treaty with Montenegro c
end of 2026date by which the European Commission said accession negotiations with Montenegr
2011year the EU last closed accession negotiations with a candidate country, Croatia
Who's Involved
European Commission
EU executive that published the enlargement report
Montenegro
candidate country whose accession talks could close
Croatia
last country whose EU accession talks closed, in 2011
↳ Why This Matters
A closed negotiating chapter and a signed accession treaty would put Montenegro on a dated path to EU membership, the first for a candidate country since Croatia in 2011, according to the European Commission.