Amendments tabled by the European Parliament's Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN) group to the 2025 Commission report on Montenegro propose a hard-line stance against the country's EU accession, citing organised crime and economic underdevelopment as disqualifying factors. The two amendments, published on 9 June 2026, introduce new paragraphs that frame Montenegro's role as a major drug trafficking corridor and its GDP per capita—less than one-third of the EU average—as fundamental obstacles to membership, challenging the mainstream pro-enlargement consensus.
The amendments, tabled by MEP Sarah Knafo on behalf of the ESN group, target the draft report by rapporteur Marjan Šarec. Amendment 1 adds a paragraph (27a) stating that Montenegro's position as a key transit route for drug trafficking, as highlighted by the Global Organized Crime Index, is incompatible with credible EU accession. Amendment 2 adds a paragraph (54a) arguing that the large economic gap would require considerable financial transfers from member states, making accession economically unviable for both parties.
These amendments represent a clear divergence from the positions of larger pro-enlargement groups (EPP, S&D, Renew, Greens/EFA), which generally support Montenegro's accession process and focus on gradual rule-of-law reforms. The ESN amendments reject this gradualist approach, implying a halt or reversal of the process. The changes would significantly alter the report's tone from one of conditional support to outright opposition based on structural disqualifiers.
Impact on stakeholders: If adopted, the amendments would signal a major shift in the European Parliament's stance, potentially slowing Montenegro's accession negotiations and emboldening other sceptical voices. For Montenegro, the amendments could undermine its reform efforts and EU integration prospects. For the EU, adopting such language could weaken the credibility of the enlargement policy as a transformative tool. For the European Commission, which manages the accession process, the amendments would create a more confrontational environment with the Parliament. For other candidate countries, the precedent could lead to more stringent conditionality based on economic and crime indicators.
The amendments will be debated and voted on in the European Parliament plenary. The final report will feed into the Council's discussions on enlargement. The ESN's hard-line stance is likely to face strong opposition from pro-enlargement groups, but the amendments may attract support from other eurosceptic factions.