France holds back Montenegro in EU integration process

France has slowed down Montenegro's progress on its path to membership in the European Union.

The Vijesti newspaper writes that official Podgorica risks closing only three of the 5 chapters of the negotiations planned to be closed by the end of this year, after official Paris blocked the advancement of two key chapters, such as agriculture and fisheries.

France's official position was made public at a meeting of the European Council Working Group, which was held on Friday. French representatives in the European Union Working Groups have opposed the closure of Chapter 11, which relates to agriculture and rural development, as well as Chapter 13, on fisheries, arguing that the work done does not comply with European Union standards.

After these discussions are concluded, the matter moves to the next stage – the intergovernmental conference at ministerial level, where only three chapters are expected to be finally closed: chapter 3, which deals with the right to establish enterprises and the freedom to provide services; chapter 4 on the freedom of movement of capital; and chapter 6, which deals with commercial law. Although theoretically there is a possibility that France's decision will be reconsidered at ministerial level, diplomatic sources estimate that the chances of a change are minimal, according to the news agency.

Montenegro launched negotiations for membership in the European Union on 29 June 2012.

Since then, Podgorica has opened all 33 negotiation chapters and provisionally closed seven of them – three at the end of last year and another in June this year.