At its meeting held today, the Committee on European Integration considered and gave a positive opinion with the majority of votes on the Third semi-annual report on the overall activities within Montenegro’s integration process to the EU for the period January - June 2015, and on the Sixth and Seventh Quarterly Report on the overall activities within Montenegro’s integration process to the EU for the period April - September 2015.

The Committee members were informed on the Second and Third Quarterly Report on implementation of obligations stemming from the Montenegro’s Programme of Accession to the European Union for the period 2015-2018, and on the Appendix to the European Commission’s Progress Report on Montenegro for the period 1 April - 1 September 2015.

The said reports were presented by the Chief Negotiator Ambassador Mr Aleksandar Andrija Pejović and on that occasion he informed the attending members on the activities contributing to dynamics of negotiation process, which were directed towards strengthening political dialogue with representatives of the European Union and in the end have the goal to open new negotiation chapters and close those already opened so far.

Speaking of obligations stemming from the Montenegro’s Programme of Accession to the European Union, the Chair of the meeting and Deputy Chairperson of the Committee Ms Marija Maja Ćatović welcomed the promptness of competent institutions and expressed expectation that the degree of implementation of legislative acts, secondary legislation and strategic documents would reach 100% of implementation by the end of the year from today’s 88% or 98%. In addition to that, she also gave suggestions for a more detailed reporting on certain IPA components within the quarterly reports.

In addition to said reports, the Committee members, in presence of Director of Department for Europe at the Directorate General for Bilateral Affairs Mr Miroslav Šćepanović, were informed on the annual Information on Bilateral Cooperation of Montenegro with the EU member states. Mr Šćepanović characterised the year 2015 as one of the most successful when it comes to emphasising the positive role of Montenegro at the international level and confirmation of its stable position in the region. In the conditions of not only refugee crisis but also the economic crisis lasting several years in Europe, but also the escalation of conflicts in the security sense, Montenegro affirmed its European aspirations, concludes Mr Šćepanović.

It was announced at the meeting that the draft negotiating positions for chapters 11 - Agriculture and rural development, 12 - Food safety, veterinary and phytosanitary policy, and 22 - Regional policy and coordination of structural instruments, are expected to be finalised in the first quarter of 2016, while the Committee on European Integration would also give its opinion on them.