The Ministry of European Affairs has launched the process of drafting the Strategic Planning Document (SPD), a key document for planning and using European Union funds after Montenegro’s accession to the EU.
This was the first meeting of the working groups for the preparation of the Strategic Planning Document, opened by Bojan Vujović, Director General for Coordination of EU Financial Assistance. On that occasion, he highlighted the importance of Negotiation Chapter 22 – Regional Policy and Coordination of Structural Instruments, stressing that the preparation of this document represents one of the key closing benchmarks for its completion.
“The goal is for Montenegro, through a high-quality, concise and comprehensive Strategic Planning Document, to demonstrate readiness for the efficient use of cohesion policy funds after EU membership, bearing in mind that its preparation represents one of the key closing benchmarks for closing Chapter 22,” Vujović said.
The Strategic Planning Document aims to define Montenegro’s development challenges, needs, and priorities, along with clearly set objectives and expected results. Based on the SPD, a National Regional Partnership Plan (NRPP) will be developed, which will serve as an operational framework for programming and implementing EU funds in line with cohesion policy rules and principles.
The process of drafting the document is based on the partnership principle and includes a wide range of institutions, socio-economic partners, and civil sector representatives. For this purpose, six thematic working groups have been formed, which will contribute to the process through analysis of the situation, identification of development challenges, and definition of priorities.
The working groups will, in the coming period, work on:
analysis of development challenges and available data
conducting SWOT analyses
defining strategic directions and policy priorities
The deadline for submitting the draft Strategic Planning Document to the European Commission is 30 June 2026.
The Ministry of European Affairs calls on all participants to actively contribute to this process, so that Montenegro can be ready to fully use European Union funds and ensure long-term development and benefits for its citizens.