Montenegro has fulfilled more than half of the reform measures set out in its Reform Agenda for 2024–2027, and based on those achievements the government is now expecting approval of additional European Union funding worth around €55 million from the EU’s Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.
At a recent government session, Montenegro’s authorities adopted the third semi-annual report under the EU Instrument for Reforms and Growth, a monitoring document prepared by the Ministry of European Affairs in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance and other institutions. The report tracks progress across a total of 45 reform steps that the country committed to as part of its accession-linked reform programme. To date, 24 of those steps have been fully implemented, while another 21 have been assessed as partially fulfilled.
If the European Commission confirms the progress reported by Montenegro in its third semi-annual report, the additional €55 million is expected to be released as part of the growth plan’s financial support mechanism. The additional funds would follow earlier disbursements made under the same instrument, including pre-financing that Montenegro received in May 2025, which accounted for approximately 7 percent of allocated support under the plan.
Officials from the Ministry of European Affairs have pointed out that the progress made so far demonstrates both Montenegro’s commitment to its reform obligations and the confidence of the EU in the country’s reform trajectory. However, they also emphasise that the pace of reform implementation needs to accelerate in the coming months in order to meet remaining obligations on schedule, especially as certain deadlines draw closer. This will require stronger technical coordination across ministries and continued close engagement with EU institutions during the evaluation of the latest report.
Certain line ministries have been highlighted for particularly strong performance. For example, the Ministry of Energy and Mining has completed 9 out of 10 reforms assigned to it, while the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation and the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights have both delivered on all of their assigned measures. These results reflect progress in priority areas such as the business environment, energy and green transition, human capital development, and the rule of law — all of which are central to Montenegro’s accession process and to the broader goals of the Growth Plan.
Success in implementing the Reform Agenda has implications not only for the expected funding from the EU, but also for Montenegro’s path toward European Union membership. The Growth Plan, which combines grants and favourable loans to support reforms across the Western Balkans, is intended to reinforce economic resilience and to align candidate and potential candidate countries with EU standards ahead of eventual accession. Montenegro’s progress so far positions it favourably within this framework and supports continued momentum in its accession negotiations.
