A notice of meeting published by the Council of the European Union on 6 July 2026 schedules a session of the Working Party on Enlargement and Countries Negotiating Accession to the EU for 7 July 2026 at 10:00 in Brussels. The meeting will focus on exchanging views on draft EU Common Positions for Albania, Montenegro, and Serbia across multiple negotiation chapters, advancing the accession process for the three Western Balkan countries.
The agenda covers a range of policy areas. For Albania, the Working Party will discuss draft Common Positions on Chapter 25 (Science and research), Chapter 26 (Education and culture), and Chapter 30 (External relations). Montenegro's session will address Chapter 8 (Competition policy), Chapter 29 (Customs Union), and Chapter 14 (Transport policy). For Serbia, the agenda includes Chapter 10 (Digital transformation and media), Chapter 16 (Taxation), and a presentation followed by an exchange of views on Chapter 19 (Social policy and employment). The meeting will also include any other business.
This meeting is part of the EU's ongoing enlargement process, which has seen renewed momentum in 2026. The Working Party on Enlargement is a technical body that prepares the ground for ministerial-level accession conferences. The discussions on 7 July will help shape the EU's negotiating positions, which are later adopted by the Council. The meeting does not involve decisions but rather preparatory exchanges among member state representatives.
The discussions primarily affect the three candidate countries, as the EU Common Positions define the benchmarks and conditions they must meet to close negotiation chapters. For Albania, progress on science, education, and external relations could boost research cooperation and cultural ties with the EU. Montenegro's chapters on competition policy and customs union are critical for aligning its market rules with EU standards, potentially affecting businesses operating in the country. Serbia's chapters on digital transformation and taxation are key for modernizing its economy and public administration. EU member states will also be impacted, as they must eventually ratify any accession treaty. The meeting does not directly affect EU consumers or taxpayers, but successful enlargement could expand the single market and increase trade.
The Working Party's views will feed into the Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper) and ultimately the General Affairs Council, which decides on opening and closing chapters. The next steps for each country depend on the progress made in these technical discussions.