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Second meeting of the EU Accession Conference with...
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Second meeting of the EU Accession Conference with Montenegro at Ministerial level - start of substantial negotiations
Published on: Dec 18, 2012 • 11:27 PM Author: PR Bureau
Brussels, Belgium (18 December 2012) – The second meeting of the EU Accession Conference with Montenegro at Ministerial level took place today in Brussels, marking the opening and provisional closing of the first negotiating chapter: Chapter 25 (Science and Research).
The Montenegrin delegation was led by Igor Lukšić, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and European Integration and Sanja Vlahović, Minister for Science of Montenegro. The EU delegation was led by Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Cyprus, and the European Commission was represented by Štefan Füle, Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy.
Today’s meeting launched the substantial accession negotiations between Montenegro and the European Union, following the opening of negotiations on 29 June 2012. The European Union has noted that good progress has been made in the screening of the EU acquis with the completion of the outcome of screening for the key Chapters 23 (Judiciary and Fundamental Rights) and Chapter 24 (Justice, Freedom and Security). In line with the Negotiating Framework, these two chapters are being addressed early in the negotiations. Montenegro has now been invited to adopt the required actions plans, which constitute opening benchmarks for these two chapters.
As regards the negotiations on Chapter 25 (Science and Research), the EU considered that, exceptionally, benchmarks for the provisional closure of this chapter were not required, given the good general level of Montenegro’s state of preparedness in the area of Science and Research. The EU therefore noted that this chapter does not require further negotiations at this point.
The EU also noted that it would continue to monitor all specific issues with a view to ensuring Montenegro’s administrative capacity, its ability to take up EU-funded research projects, as well as continuous availability of budgetary resources. Monitoring of progress in the implementation of the acquis and harmonisation will continue throughout the negotiations. The EU will return to this chapter at an appropriate moment, if necessary.
Further Accession Conferences will be planned, as appropriate, in order to take place in the first half of 2013.
The Montenegrin delegation was led by Igor Lukšić, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and European Integration and Sanja Vlahović, Minister for Science of Montenegro. The EU delegation was led by Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Cyprus, and the European Commission was represented by Štefan Füle, Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy.
Today’s meeting launched the substantial accession negotiations between Montenegro and the European Union, following the opening of negotiations on 29 June 2012. The European Union has noted that good progress has been made in the screening of the EU acquis with the completion of the outcome of screening for the key Chapters 23 (Judiciary and Fundamental Rights) and Chapter 24 (Justice, Freedom and Security). In line with the Negotiating Framework, these two chapters are being addressed early in the negotiations. Montenegro has now been invited to adopt the required actions plans, which constitute opening benchmarks for these two chapters.
As regards the negotiations on Chapter 25 (Science and Research), the EU considered that, exceptionally, benchmarks for the provisional closure of this chapter were not required, given the good general level of Montenegro’s state of preparedness in the area of Science and Research. The EU therefore noted that this chapter does not require further negotiations at this point.
The EU also noted that it would continue to monitor all specific issues with a view to ensuring Montenegro’s administrative capacity, its ability to take up EU-funded research projects, as well as continuous availability of budgetary resources. Monitoring of progress in the implementation of the acquis and harmonisation will continue throughout the negotiations. The EU will return to this chapter at an appropriate moment, if necessary.
Further Accession Conferences will be planned, as appropriate, in order to take place in the first half of 2013.
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