Montenegro has officially begun the process of preparing to join the European Network of Public Employment Services (PES Network), a key pillar of labour market cooperation within the European Union that connects national employment services across member states to facilitate job matching, skills development and labour mobility.
Officials from the Employment Agency of Montenegro and the Ministry of Economic Development and Tourism of Montenegro confirmed that a national working group has been established to coordinate technical and legal preparations for accession to the PES Network. The effort aims to align Montenegro’s employment services with EU standards for data exchange, job placement services, labour market analysis and employer engagement, enhancing the efficiency of the country’s public employment system.
Joining the European Network of Public Employment Services is expected to enable Montenegrin jobseekers and employers to benefit from improved access to a larger pool of job opportunities across the EU, strengthened capacity for skills matching and more effective cooperation with employers operating in cross-border labour markets. Through the network, national employment services share best practices, labour market data and tools that support both domestic workforce development and international labour mobility.
A key preparatory task is to modernise Montenegro’s existing IT systems and procedures to ensure interoperability with the PES Network’s digital platforms, including secure data exchange regarding job vacancies, worker qualifications and mobility programmes. Legislative alignment is also necessary to meet EU requirements for personal data protection, reporting standards and service delivery frameworks that underpin public employment services in member states.
Officials noted that the timing of Montenegro’s accession preparations is linked to broader labour market reforms under the country’s EU accession process, where alignment with EU labour mobility frameworks is a stated priority. By participating in the PES Network, Montenegro would strengthen its position in negotiating mutual recognition of qualifications, cross-border job placement schemes and cooperation in vocational training initiatives.
Stakeholders in the labour market welcomed the initiative, arguing that formal connection to the European Network of Public Employment Services could create new pathways to employment for young people and other jobseekers, particularly in sectors where demand in the EU remains strong. It may also contribute to reducing structural unemployment at home by improving the match between skills and available jobs.
The government estimates that, once preparatory requirements are met and formal accession is completed, Montenegro could begin participating in PES Network activities as early as 2027, contingent on fulfilment of technical, legal and procedural conditions required by the EU Member States represented in the network’s governance structures.
