On 16 October 2013 the European Commission issued the 2013 Progress Report on Montenegro, representing a part of the 2013 Enlargement Package and encompassing the timeframe from October 2012 to September 2013.

In key findings of the 2013 Progress Report on Montenegro by the European Commission, which was published yesterday, it was estimated that Montenegro had made some further progress towards a functioning market economy, improved the ability to take on the obligations of EU membership, and continued to sufficiently meet the political criteria. Screening meetings had been completed, while two negotiating chapters had been opened and provisionally closed. The negotiation process incorporated the new approach for Chapter 23 (Judiciary and Fundamental Rights) and Chapter 24 (Justice, Freedom and Security). Montenegro had adopted action plans for both chapters. On those grounds, it had been asked to send negotiating positions for these chapters, which had been delivered in the beginning of October. The implementation of the action plans would determine further course of negotiations. Montenegro needed to continue achieving measurable results in this field, especially with regard to high level cases of corruption and organised crime.

In part of the Progress Report on Montenegro relating to the work of the Parliament of Montenegro, it was concluded, among other things, that the transparency of work had been further enhanced, and the administrative and professional capacities strengthened. Additionally, the oversight role of the Parliament had been enhanced, while it was estimated that the monitoring of implementation of the conclusions adopted by the parliamentary committees needed to be promoted. The Report also highlighted that the Parliament had adopted the Action Plan for Strengthening the Legislative and Oversight Role of the Parliament, also representing the answer to the recommendations of the European Commission from the Progress Report for the previous year. Based on those recommendations, among other things, the regular monitoring of implementation of the conclusions had been established.

Apart from the 2013 Progress Report on Montenegro, the European Commission yesterday also published the 2013 Progress Reports on Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Kosovo, Serbia, and Turkey.

The unofficial translation of a part of the European Commission Progress Report relating to Montenegro can be found in continuation.

You may download the unofficial translation of a part of the European Commission Progress Report relating to the Parliament of Montenegro via the following link: http://www.skupstina.me/images/dokumenti/pristupanje-eu/Izvodi_iz_Izvjestaja_o_napretku_Crne_Gore_za_2013_godinu_koji_se_odnose_na_Skupstinu_Crne_Gore.