COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL A financial package for the accession negotiations with Montenegro
Date: 2026-06-30
Institutions: Directorate-General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood, European Commission
Subjects: EU aid, European security, Montenegro, accession criteria, accession negotiations, economic and social cohesion, financial aid, pre-accession strategy, regional cooperation

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 30.6.2026  COM(2026) 334 final  COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL A financial package for the accession negotiations with Montenegro  
 
 
1 

INTRODUCTION 

The 2025 Communication on EU enlargement policy1 indicated that, subject  to  Montenegro 
maintaining  the  pace  of  progress  in  preparations  for  EU  membership,  the  Commission  will 
present,  according to  established practice, a draft financial package. Since then,  the EU and 
Montenegro have provisionally closed nine additional chapters, bringing the total number of 
provisionally closed chapters to 16, while work continues to close the remaining ones.  

Taking  into  account  the  overall  progress  achieved  thus  far  by  Montenegro  in  the  accession 
negotiations,  this  Communication  provides  the  main  elements  of  a  financial  package  for 
Montenegro  to  allow  the  Council  to  debate  these  issues  alongside  work  on  the  remaining 
chapters. Provided that conditions are met, a possible accession could take place at some point 
after the beginning of next Multiannual financial framework (‘MFF’) 2028-2034. This financial 
package  is  therefore  based  on  the  Commission  proposal  for  the  next  Multiannual  Financial 
Framework2, taking into account the proposed design of the future internal policies of the Union 
as well as the new own resources package3. On this basis, the Commission will subsequently 
present  to  the  Council  a  draft  common  position  for  negotiations  on  financial  and  budgetary 
provisions (chapter 33).  

This Communication builds on the principles of financial packages for previous enlargement 
rounds, with adjustments tailored to accommodate Montenegro’s accession within the proposal 
for the MFF 2028-2034, and presenting benefits both for new and existing Member States. For 
Montenegro, it ensures continuity, reduces administrative burden and prevents implementation 
gaps at a critical moment immediately after accession. For existing Member States, it provides 
clarity about the cost of the accession of Montenegro.  

2 

OUTLINE FOR A FINANCIAL PACKAGE 

In line with the practice of previous enlargement rounds, the financial package covers the pre-
allocated  national  financial  envelope  for  Montenegro  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  increase  in 
ceilings of the MFF Headings without pre-allocated financial envelopes on the other hand. As 
in the previous enlargements, the financial package ensures full rights and obligations from the 
day of accession, i.e. the new Member State pays full contributions to the EU budget and it has 
access to all programmes and funds of the EU budget from the date of accession. 

With  respect  to  pre-allocated  envelopes  in  Heading  1  (‘Economic,  social  and  territorial 
cohesion, agriculture, rural and maritime prosperity and security of the internal policies’), the 
implementation will take place on the basis of a National and Regional Partnership Plan for 
each  Member  State  (‘NRP  Plan’),  which  is  objective-based  in  the  sense  of  linking  
disbursements  with  the  achievement  of  predefined  milestones  and  targets.  To  adequately 
prepare candidate countries for managing internal funds, these countries will also submit plans 
under the Global Europe instrument (henceforth referred to as 'Global Europe Plan') under the 
external heading (Heading 3 – ‘Global Europe’), which are also objective-based in the same 
sense as under Heading 1.4 Consequently, this financial package is structured primarily around 

1 COM(2025) 690 final 
2 Commission, ‘Proposal for a Council Regulation laying down the  multiannual financial framework for the years 2028 to 
2034’ (COM/2025/572 final) 
3 COM/2025/574 final 
4 COM/2025/551 final 

1 

 
 
 
this plan, ensuring continued implementation of support from pre-accession to internal funds, 
based on the methodology outlined below.  

The  calculation  of  amounts  increasing  the  capacity  of  headings  and  programmes  without 
specific country allocation for the acceding country (rest of Heading 1 outside of the NRP Plan, 
Heading 2, Heading 3) applies a key based on a combination of 50% population and 50% GDP 
relative  to  an  enlarged  EU.  This  is  the  same  methodology  as  the  one  used  for  the  fifth 
enlargement in 2004, and in all successive enlargement rounds. 

The  proposed  approach  will  ensure  predictability  and  minimise  any  disruption  to 
implementation following accession without compromising the official status of Montenegro 
as  a  new  Member  State.  It  caters  for  the  uncertainty  related  to  the  entry  into  force  of  the 
Accession  Treaty  and  reduces  costs  to  existing  Member  States  by  reusing  availabilities  for 
Montenegro’s  Global  Europe  Plan  under  Heading  3.  The  proposed  figures  are  based  on  the 
Commission  proposal  for  the  next  Multiannual  Financial  Framework  which  is  under 
negotiations  with  the  Council  and  the  European  Parliament.5 Any  changes  during  the  MFF 
proposal may have impacts on the results of funding and approach described here.  

Figures provided in this Communication are expressed in current prices. 

2.1  HEADING 1: ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND TERRITORIAL  COHESION, 

AGRICULTURE, RURAL AND MARITIME PROSPERITY AND 
SECURITY  

Each  Member  State  will  submit  one  NRP  Plan,  covering  different  policy  areas  such  as  the 
common agricultural policy (CAP), cohesion policy, Home affairs and the common fisheries 
policy.  The  NRP  Plan  of  Montenegro  will  include  one  unallocated  component,  which  will 
constitute  the  biggest  envelope,  dedicated  to  economic,  social  and  territorial  objectives, 
including fisheries and rural communities, out of which an amount of EUR 17.8 million will be 
ringfenced  for  the  Common  Fisheries  Policy.  In  addition,  the  NRP  Plan  will  include  two 
ringfenced components – the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and Home Affairs (migration, 
border management and internal security) resources.  

Montenegro’s Global Europe Plan will be prepared keeping in mind the requirements under the 
National  and  Regional  Partnership  Plans  (‘NRPP’)  Regulation.  It  will  comply  with  the 
applicable spending targets under Global Europe. At the moment of accession, Montenegro’s 
plan submitted under Global Europe will become the part of the NRP Plan under the unallocated 
component  to  avoid  any  implementation  gaps  at  a  critical  juncture  of  its  membership,  with 
revision and adaptation  needed to  add CAP and  Home components. While Montenegro will 
continue  the  implementation  of  the  existing  plan  following  its  accession,  amounts  available 
under  the  plan  will  be  scaled  according  to  the  NRP  Plan  allocation  formula  including  the 
relevant caps and all funding paid based on milestones and targets achieved will be paid fully 
in  grants.  The  resulting  costs  under  Heading  1  will  be  partially  offset  by  transferring  the 
resources foreseen for the Global Europe Plan of Montenegro under the Heading 3 of the MFF 
to Heading 1. In line with the deadlines established by the NRPP Regulation, Montenegro will 
submit a new plan fully in compliance with NRPP rules, including applicable spending targets, 
covering  the  remainder  of  the  MFF,  enabling  it  to  respond  to  new  needs  and  opportunities 
emerging from the early years of membership.  

5 The Commission proposal for the regulation establishing Global Europe (COM/2025/551 final) foresees EUR 200 309 000 
000 in current prices for the Instrument, of which EUR 43 174 000 000 for the Europe pillar. 

2 

 
 
 
Having joined the Union, Montenegro will be fully integrated under an NRP Plan. Its financial 
allocation  post-2034  is  not  quantified  within  this  financial  package.  The  financial  package 
presented here is without prejudice to potential financial packages for other candidates at a later 
time,  which  will  take  into  account  the  support  levels  for  candidate  countries  under  Global 
Europe as well as, according to Article 174 TFEU, the need of reducing  disparities between 
levels of development linked among others to GDP per capita, all the while taking into account 
their  absorption  capacity,  to  ensure  consistent  support  levels  for  all  potential  new  Member 
States.  

Under the NRPP Regulation proposal, Member States will be able to request loans as part of 
their  plans.  Montenegro  may  also  request  loans  in  addition  to  its  pre-allocated  financial 
envelope, within the remaining availabilities at that moment. 

NRP Plan: Economic, territorial and social cohesion, including fisheries, and rural 
communities 

The unallocated component of Montenegro’s plan will be calculated on the basis of the criteria 
outlined in the Annex I to the NRPP Regulation, while applying a maximum cap and safety net 
of +5% and -20%, respectively, compared to the 2021 – 2027 envelope of the pre-accession aid 
for the country. Based on these calculations, this will entail EUR 155 million annually, a portion 
of which will be financed from budgetary availabilities under Heading 3. The precise amount 
will depend on the final agreement on the next MFF and associated envelopes. There will be no 
impact on pre-allocated envelopes for existing Member States.  

Financial package for Montenegro  
(EUR million, current prices) 
HEADING 1 
NRP Plan 
of which unallocated funds 

2028 

2029 

2030 

2031 

2032 

2033 

2034  Total 

155.0  155.0  155.0  155.0  155.0  155.0  155.0  1 085 

NRP Plan: Common Agricultural Policy 

The future CAP will include income support interventions (direct payments and other types of 
income support interventions) as well as other interventions.  

Similarly to the Union’s approach to previous enlargement rounds, the annual minimum level 
for the CAP income support interventions should be introduced gradually over a period of ten 
years with the following schedule of increments:  

1st year after accession: 40%6  

2nd year after accession: 44% 

6 For the NRP plan, the minimum ringfenced amount for the common agricultural policy (CAP) will finance interventions 
corresponding to both current direct payments to farmers and support for rural development. For the current CAP, 80% of 
planned total CAP amounts concern direct payments, and 20% concern rural development interventions. Phasing in of the 80% 
will  follow  the  same  schedule  of  increments  as  applied  for  enlargements  as  of  2004  (25%,  30%,  35%,  40%  and  in  10% 
increments thereafter). The numbers here presented correspond to the outcome of this approach,  e.g. 40% for the first year 
equal to 20% + 25% of 80%.  

3 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3rd year after accession: 48% 

4th year after accession: 52%  

Thereafter in 8% increments to reach the support level applicable in the EU-27. 

Taking  into  account  also  the  anticipated  absorption  capacity  of  Montenegro,  this  annual 
envelope  corresponds  to  the  minimum  amount  that  must  be  planned  on  CAP  interventions, 
including  income  support,  with  the  possibility  for  Montenegro  to  finance  additional  CAP 
interventions out of the unallocated resources set out above. 

Financial package for Montenegro  
(EUR million, current prices) 
HEADING 1 
NRP Plan 
of which CAP 

2028  2029  2030  2031  2032  2033  2034  Total 

28.6 

31.4 

34.3 

37.1 

42.9 

48.6 

54.3 

277 

The present methodology is without prejudice to the conditions set with respect to the CAP for 
potential future financial packages for other candidate countries, in particular for Ukraine. 

NRPP: Home Affairs 

Montenegro's accession will create a new external border of the EU, giving rise to significant 
financial needs in the areas of border management, migration, and internal security.  

The  reference  amounts  for  Home  affairs  funds  will  be  calculated  on  the  basis  of  the 
methodology  set  out  in  the  Annex  to  the  NRPP  Regulation.  Given  that  the  most  acute 
investment needs - in particular in border infrastructure and internal security - will be in the 
run-up to accession and in the immediate post-accession period, the proposal does not include 
a phase-in of Home affairs funds. However, given that Montenegro's capacity to implement and 
absorb funds in this area remains constrained, funds will be made available in a flat profile of 
70% of full allocation during the MFF 2028-2034. This approach strikes the appropriate balance 
between the practical limitations of implementation on the one hand, and the need to protect 
the EU's external border and strengthen internal security from day one of accession on the other. 
On this basis, additional annual funding of EUR 84.5 million will be required. 

Financial package for Montenegro  
(EUR million, current prices) 
HEADING 1 
NRP Plan 
of which Home 

Other items under Heading 1 

2028  2029  2030  2031  2032  2033  2034  Total 

84.5 

84.5 

84.5 

84.5 

84.5 

84.5 

84.5 

592 

Heading 1 includes other items without pre-allocated envelopes for each Member State. This 
includes the EU Facility, Interreg, decentralised agencies, and others. 

An  Interreg  Plan  will  be  established  over  the  period  2028-2034,  covering  cross-border, 
transnational,  interregional  and  outermost  regions'  cooperation.  Candidate  countries  and 

4 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
potential  candidates  will  benefit  from  cross-border  cooperation  (CBC)  funds  under  Global 
Europe, equivalent to the support from Interreg funds being provided to the Member States on 
the other side of the relevant border. In order to ensure continuation of CBC programmes and 
to ensure there is no negative effect on the funding foreseen for EU-27, an overall increase in 
appropriations will be required for Interreg.  

The proposal for the next MFF 2028-2034 establishes an EU Facility, composed of different 
strands,  including  the  Solidarity Actions,  Unity  Safety  Net and  Home  Affairs  actions,  and 
cushion. Montenegro will have access to the EU Facility. While there are no specific country 
financial envelopes under the EU Facility, an overall increase in appropriations will be required 
to ensure there is no negative effect on the funding foreseen for EU-27.  

Additional annual funding will be required to increase relevant components other than the NRP 
Plan under Heading 1 in line with the values presented in the table below. 

Financial package for Montenegro  
(EUR million, current prices) 
HEADING 1 
NRP Plan 
of which Interreg 
Other 

2028  2029  2030  2031  2032  2033  2034  Total 

0.0 
13.0 

6.3 
11.8 

6.4 
11.7 

6.5 
12.1 

6.6 
11.8 

5.5 
12.5 

5.6 
12.8 

 37 
 86 

2.2 

HEADING 2: COMPETITIVENESS, PROSPERITY AND 
SECURITY 

It is foreseen that Montenegro will fully participate in the Union’s actions and programmes as 
from its accession. While there are no specific national financial envelopes under the existing 
actions and programmes covered by Heading 2, an overall increase in appropriations for EU 
programmes will be required to ensure there is no negative effect on the funding foreseen for 
EU-27. Based on the same methodology used to determine the level of increase in the funds 
available for the internal policies in previous enlargements, additional annual funding will be 
required for Montenegro’s accession in line with the values presented in the table below. 

Financial package for Montenegro 
(EUR million, current prices) 
HEADING 2 

2028  2029  2030  2031  2032  2033  2034  Total 

59.3 

72.1 

73.8 

77.5 

78.6 

80.5 

81.3 

523 

2.3 

HEADING 3: GLOBAL EUROPE  

After the MFF revision and the transfer of available resources for Montenegro to Heading 1, 
Montenegro will no longer be eligible for Global Europe funding under Heading 3. At the same 
time,  other  pillars  under  the  Global  Europe  instrument  than  the  Europe  pillar  should  be 
proportionately  reinforced.  Based  on  the  same  methodology  used  to  determine  the  level  of 
increase  in  the  funds  available  for  the  internal  policies,  additional  annual  funding  will  be 
required in line with the values presented in the table below. 

5 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Financial package for Montenegro  
(EUR million, current prices) 
HEADING 3 

2028  2029  2030  2031  2032  2033  2034  Total 

16.8 

17.2 

17.5 

21 

24.5 

24.9 

25.4 

147 

2.4 

HEADING 4: ADMINISTRATION 

As  was  the  case  in  previous  enlargements,  there  will  be  no  administrative  expenditure 
specifically earmarked for Montenegro. Additional administrative expenditure will however be 
necessary  due  to  Montenegro’s  accession,  for  instance  for  both  policy  implementation  and 
linguistic needs. Based on the experience of the most recent enlargement, namely the accession 
of Croatia in 2013, it is estimated that Montenegro’s accession will require additional annual 
funding to cover the corresponding increase in the Commission’s staffing needs in line with the 
values presented in the table below.  

Financial package for Montenegro  
(EUR million, current prices) 
HEADING 4 

3 

COMPENSATION 

2028  2029  2030  2031  2032  2033  2034  Total 

27.1 

48.4 

70.5 

71.9 

73.3 

74.8 

76.3 

442 

The principle agreed in the previous enlargements that no new Member State should find itself 
in a worse net budgetary position in the first years of accession compared with its situation in 
the year before accession as a beneficiary of pre-accession funds will be maintained.  

The need for temporary budgetary compensation or a cash-flow facility will be assessed in light 
of the final outcome of the accession negotiations at their concluding stage. 

In line with what was agreed for the countries of the previous enlargements, it is provided that 
the Own Resources Decision should apply fully to Montenegro from the first year of accession. 

4 

ADJUSTING 
ACCOMMODATE THE ACCESSION OF MONTENEGRO  

FRAMEWORK 

FINANCIAL 

THE 

2028-2034 

TO 

An  adjustment  of  the  MFF  2028-2034  will  be  required  to  accommodate  the  results  of  the 
accession negotiations. Article 11 of the proposed MFF Regulation provides that in the event 
of new Member States acceding to the Union, the MFF is to be revised accordingly pursuant to 
the Accession Treaties,  to  take  account  of  the  expenditure  requirements  resulting  from  such 
accession to the Union. 

All changes to the ceilings in Headings as well as the possible transfers of resources among 
headings will require the revision of the MFF. 

The Annex  to  this  Communication  presents  the  table  setting  out  the  estimated  increase  in 
expenditure of the MFF required to take Montenegro’s accession into account. The amounts 
calculated are based on the Commission proposal for the MFF 2028 – 2034. Where needed, 
they would need to be amended in order to reflect relevant changes resulting from the outcome 
of the MFF negotiations.  

6 

 
 
 
 
ANNEX 

Financial package for Montenegro7 
(EUR million, current prices) 
HEADING 1: Economic, Social and Territorial Cohesion, 
Agriculture, Rural and Maritime Prosperity and Security 
NRP Plan 

of which CAP 
of which unallocated funds 
of which Home 
of which Interreg 

Other 
HEADING 2: Competitiveness, Prosperity and Security 
HEADING 3: Global Europe8 
HEADING 4: Administration 
TOTAL HEADINGS 1 – 4 

of which transferred from Heading 39 

2028 

2029 

2030 

2031 

2032 

2033 

2034 

Total 

281.1 

289.0 

291.9 

295.3 

300.8 

306.1 

312.2 

2 076 

268.1 
28.6 
155.0 
84.5 
0.0 
13.0 
59.3 
16.8 
27.1 
384.3 
p.m. 

277.2 
31.4 
155.0 
84.5 
6.3 
11.8 
72.1 
17.2 
48.4 
426.8 
p.m. 

280.2 
34.3 
155.0 
84.5 
6.4 
11.7 
73.8 
17.5 
70.5 
453.7 
p.m. 

283.2 
37.1 
155.0 
84.5 
6.5 
12.1 
77.5 
21.0 
71.9 
465.6 
p.m. 

289.0 
42.9 
155.0 
84.5 
6.6 
11.8 
78.6 
24.5 
73.3 
477.2 
p.m. 

293.6 
48.6 
155.0 
84.5 
5.5 
12.5 
80.5 
24.9 
74.8 
486.2 
p.m. 

299.4 
54.3 
155.0 
84.5 
5.6 
12.8 
81.3 
25.4 
76.3 
495.2 
p.m. 

1 991 
277 
1 085 
592 
37 
86 
523 
147 
442 
3 189 
p.m. 

7 The table represents an illustrative example on the basis of Montenegro’s accession in 2028. In case accession takes place at a later point over the course of the MFF, the figures for the headings will be 
adjusted. For pre-allocated envelopes under Heading 1, the start of the implementation would be delayed, with the first year after accession corresponding to the allocation foreseen for 2028. This would 
effectively remove the last year from the table. For other items without pre-allocated envelopes, the years indicated correspond to the actual needs for adjustment. If accession takes place in 2029, no 
adjustment will be made for 2028, effectively removing the years prior to accession from the table. 
8 Reflecting only pillars other than the Europe pillar of the Global Europe instrument that are reinforced. 
9 As a reference, current support provided to Montenegro under this MFF is above EUR 1 billion, including support provided in the form of loans. The actual amount transferred will depend on the final 
agreement on Global Europe, including the financial envelope and the way that future support will be delivered, the budget and financial programming agreed by the budgetary authorities in the first 
annual budget procedure and the actual accession date. 

7