Key Conditions Fulfilled for Chapter 22 Closure and Cohesion Funds Utilization After Membership

The Government of Montenegro has adopted the final Negotiation Position and the Report on the fulfillment of the final criteria for Chapter 22 - Regional Policy and Coordination of Structural Instruments, thereby meeting the key conditions from all six final criteria and creating prerequisites for its closure. The fulfillment of the final criteria in this chapter results from the joint efforts of the Ministry of European Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, and the entire structure of the Working Group for this negotiating chapter. The adopted documents define specific steps Montenegro needs to undertake before accession to the European Union. Through the European Regional Development Fund and the European Social Fund Plus, funds will be directed toward concrete projects: from roads, railways, water supply and sewage networks, waste management, to schools, kindergartens, healthcare and social infrastructure, employment programs, training, and skills enhancement. The Ministry of European Affairs will play a central coordinating role in preparing and implementing the National and Regional Partnership Plan, coordinating involved institutions, monitoring implementation, and communicating with the European Commission, while also managing cross-border cooperation programs. Simultaneously, administrative capacities are being strengthened, with plans to create 100 new jobs within the EU fund management system, ensuring Montenegro can efficiently utilize significantly larger funds from the first day of membership. The Strategic Planning Document analyzed 15 public policy areas and identified 105 development challenges, forming the basis for preparing the National and Regional Partnership Plan and directing European funds toward Montenegro's real development needs.