Strasbourg, 15/04/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 15 April, the European Union opened and provisionally closed the accession chapter (26) on education and culture, with Montenegro, during the first meeting of the accession conference at ambassador level. Chapter 26 covers, inter alia, the Erasmus Mundus, Tempus and Youth in Action programmes, and the future Creative Europe programme.
This provisional opening and closing is “a positive reflection of the effort Montenegro has been putting into the process”, said the Irish ambassador to the EU, Rory Montgomery, who was representing the EU. “We expect to see this work continuing and intensifying, particularly in areas of core importance (…) especially the chapters on the judiciary and fundamental rights (chapter 23), and justice, freedom and security (chapter 24)”, he added, saying that Podgorica also has “vital work” to do to tackle issues linked to the rule of law.
Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Füle considered this provisional opening and closing as “good progress in the accession negotiations”. In Füle's view, this progress “needs to be matched with similar efforts by all stakeholders in the country to strengthen trust in the domestic public institutions”. “This is an important principle which is to be strengthened in the course of the accession negotiations”, he explained.
Another accession conference, this time at ministerial level, is due to take place in June.
Chapter 26 is the second chapter opened and provisionally closed with Montenegro, following that on science and research (chapter 25), opened on 18 December (see EUROPE 10754). A candidate for accession since December 2010, Montenegro obtained the opening of its negotiations in June 2012. (CG/transl.fl)