Montenegro is making significant strides in removing legal barriers and bolstering institutional capacities to facilitate the free movement of labor, which is a crucial step toward European Union (EU) membership. This process presents a major opportunity for economic development and social inclusion in the country.
At a conference titled “Montenegro Towards the EU: Labor Mobility,” Laura Zampeti, a representative of the EU Delegation in Montenegro, emphasized that Montenegro needs to address challenges related to labor mobility as it moves closer to EU membership, according to a report by the PR Center.
“Montenegro must eliminate legal obstacles to labor market access for EU citizens and continue efforts to coordinate the social protection system. The country needs to prepare for active engagement in cross-border job matching and labor market integration. We are pleased to see that the Employment Agency has started working on this process and look forward to its progress,” Zampeti stated.
The conference was organized by the Employment Agency of Montenegro as part of a twinning project aimed at strengthening the Agency’s capacities to implement active employment measures, facilitate future participation in the European Social Fund, and promote labor mobility. This project is funded by the EU.
Zampeti highlighted that while the free movement of labor offers economic benefits to individuals, it also presents challenges for the country, such as the potential loss of young workers.
“To mitigate these risks, it is essential to invest in timely education and create jobs and opportunities for young people. These factors are crucial, but it is equally important to provide citizens with an environment that helps them thrive, including access to reliable jobs, healthcare, quality education for children, and a clean and healthy living environment free from corruption,” she noted.
Zampeti also mentioned that the EU Delegation is working with Montenegro on a youth guarantee mechanism for individuals under 30, aimed at providing quality job offers.
“Labor mobility and the free movement of workers offer significant opportunities, but also challenges that authorities must address to ensure positive outcomes,” she added.
Naida Nišić, Montenegro’s Minister of Labor and Social Welfare, underscored the importance of the EU’s pre-accession funds (IPA) in implementing labor market policies in Montenegro.
“The twinning project promoting labor mobility is part of the 2020 Annual Action Program, valued at 7.7 million EUR, titled ‘Support for Smart and Inclusive Growth – Employment and Social Inclusion.’ The goal of the program is to contribute to smart and inclusive economic growth and gender equality by improving employment opportunities and social inclusion for vulnerable groups,” Nišić explained.
She emphasized that the project will strengthen the Employment Agency of Montenegro and facilitate integration into the European Social Fund, preparing the country for EU membership.
“Collaboration with institutions from Slovakia, Estonia, and Germany allows Montenegro to benefit from their knowledge and experience,” Nišić added.
She highlighted that the project is progressing as planned, contributing to the improvement of Montenegrin institutions and strengthening relations with EU member states.
“Montenegro has developed a multi-year Operational Program for Employment and Social Policies under the IPA III framework, aiming to enhance the business environment and motivate the unemployed, especially young people, to build their future in Montenegro,” Nišić said.
David Perčobić, Director of the Employment Agency of Montenegro, stated that the current era is characterized by rapid social, economic, and technological changes, necessitating workforce adaptation.
“As an EU candidate country, Montenegro plays a significant role in this process. The free movement of workers is a key element of our country’s integration into the EU, bringing numerous economic, social, and institutional benefits for the country and its citizens. Therefore, this area will be one of the priority topics in accession negotiations,” Perčobić noted.
He stressed that the mission of the Employment Agency is to build a system that facilitates smooth labor mobility, promoting the exchange of knowledge and experience at the regional and European levels.
“The free movement of workers offers Montenegro several advantages – access to talents and skills from other EU countries, attracting qualified labor, filling skill gaps, and accessing the best professionals. It also promotes the exchange of knowledge, ideas, and experiences between Montenegro and other member states, enhancing domestic capacities,” Perčobić explained.
He pointed out that access to a broader labor market will enable Montenegrin employers to find workers with appropriate skills, thereby improving the productivity and competitiveness of their businesses.
“Greater labor mobility stimulates economic activity, supports the growth of foreign direct investment, and contributes to the overall economic progress of Montenegro. The free movement of workers fosters cultural exchange and the creation of multicultural communities, enriching the social and cultural life in Montenegro,” Perčobić added.
He expressed that these steps can attract higher-quality labor, both domestically and from other EU countries.
Perčobić highlighted that the Employment Agency is achieving significant progress in collaborating with numerous regional and international institutions and has received support from other EU regulatory bodies through projects like this twinning project.
“In the past period, the Employment Agency has taken substantial steps to prepare for joining the EURES network and implementing European standards in labor mobility. The EURES and International Employment Mediation Department has been established, tasked with leading Montenegro’s process of joining the EURES system and fulfilling obligations under Chapter 2 – Free Movement of Workers,” Perčobić noted.
He mentioned that, with EU support, the Employment Agency is implementing projects to modernize IT infrastructure and strengthen capacities to ensure technological and administrative readiness for EURES and labor mobility.
“Based on the experience and knowledge gained from this and similar projects, I am confident that the Employment Agency will be an example of a modern and advanced institution, whose measures, services, and facilities will be on par with public employment services in the EU,” Perčobić concluded.
Boris Gandel, the Ambassador of Slovakia in Montenegro, highlighted a significant milestone recently celebrated by Slovakia – 20 years of EU membership – expressing his hope that Montenegro will successfully complete its EU accession process by 2028.
He noted the benefits of EU membership, including the free movement of people and labor, as well as opportunities for young people to study abroad through programs like Erasmus+.
“Many students who complete their studies abroad stay there, but the experience they bring back to their home country is valuable. The free movement of labor allows people to work across the EU, providing Montenegro with access to a market of around 500 million people,” Gandel said.
Peter Felten, the German Ambassador to Montenegro, stated that Germany, Slovakia, and Estonia are working with Montenegro to assist in implementing Chapter 2, which focuses on the free movement of workers within the EU.
“Montenegro has recently made significant progress in the rule of law chapters, which is a key step towards EU membership. It is now important for Montenegro to seize this opportunity and remain focused on fulfilling the remaining tasks to become an EU member as soon as possible, perhaps by 2028,” Felten noted.
He believes that the German Employment Agency and the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs have made significant contributions to the twinning project, especially in strengthening the capacities of the Employment Agency of Montenegro to facilitate labor mobility.
“Over the past year, many training sessions and workshops have been organized to familiarize colleagues from Montenegro with the EURES network. They also visited the European Commission to see how EURES operates in Slovakia. Montenegro is now ready to become an operational member of EURES once it joins the EU,” Felten said.
He emphasized that the free movement of workers is a significant economic factor for the development of EU countries and a fundamental right for all citizens.
“The EURES network will enable fair and beneficial labor mobility by providing reliable structures in a digital environment. This twinning project demonstrates that Montenegro is ready for EURES and EU membership. Citizens often seek tangible benefits, and this project is an excellent example of such benefits,” Felten asserted.
Slavomír Š’astný, the Resident Advisor for Twinning, expressed satisfaction with the collaboration with the Employment Agency and the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, the main beneficiaries of the project.
“The project is funded by the EU with a total budget of 823,000 EUR and spans 21 months, starting on April 1 of last year and concluding at the beginning of next year. The project is implemented by a consortium of three countries – Slovakia, Germany, and Estonia,” Š’astný noted.
He mentioned that the project has three key components, including active labor market measures and the youth guarantee.
“In this regard, we have developed a methodology for the implementation and monitoring of active measures and a communication plan for the implementation of the youth guarantee. As for the institutional capacity-building component, we have prepared guidelines for engagement in European Social Fund projects and developed a manual covering topics related to the free movement of workers,” Š’astný explained.
Speaking about the third component of the project – the free movement of workers and EURES – Š’astný mentioned that support was provided for the EURES IT solution and training for employees on EURES procedures.
“Since the beginning of the project, an international team of 13 experts has spent 303 working days in Montenegro. Ninety-two advisors have been trained in profiling, activation, and individual counseling, and over 30 employees have been trained in programming and implementing EU funds. In the EURES component, 40 employees have been trained in EURES procedure requirements,” Š’astný noted.
He concluded that the project has been extremely successful so far, thanks to excellent cooperation with the Employment Agency and the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare. The final results of the project will be evaluated at the beginning of December.
