The Council Working Party on Enlargement and Countries Negotiating Accession to the EU has published a notice of meeting and provisional agenda for a meeting scheduled on 3 July 2026. The meeting will focus on advancing accession negotiations with Albania, Montenegro, and Serbia, as well as reviewing screening outcomes for Ukraine and Moldova.
According to the agenda, the working party will exchange views on draft EU Common Positions for Albania on chapters 25 (Science and research), 26 (Education and culture), and 30 (External relations). For Montenegro, discussions will cover draft Common Positions on chapters 8 (Competition policy), 29 (Customs Union), and 14 (Transport policy), alongside a presentation by the European Commission on the financial package for Montenegro. For Serbia, the agenda includes draft Common Positions on chapters 10 (Digital transformation and media), 16 (Taxation), and 19 (Social policy and employment).
The meeting will also review screening outcomes for Ukraine and Moldova on clusters 2 to 6, which will shape their negotiation roadmaps and timelines. Additionally, the working party will discuss Irish Presidency priorities, which could steer the overall enlargement agenda and political focus.
Progress on these chapters is expected to have economic and regulatory impacts on candidate countries, particularly in areas such as digital transformation, competition policy, and social policy. The financial package for Montenegro may influence its reform pace and alignment with EU standards. The meeting is a procedural step in the enlargement process, with no immediate decisions expected, but it sets the stage for future negotiations.