The European Union may soon expand. The Balkan state has moved closer to membership

Montenegro has preliminarily closed two more chapters in its EU accession negotiations, bringing the total to 23 out of 33 chapters. The chapters concern the free movement of goods and food safety policies. The EU Council announced this progress following a meeting under the Irish presidency. The European Commission stated that Montenegro is ready for EU membership and could close all remaining chapters by the end of the year, aiming to join the EU by 2028. However, the accession treaty requires ratification by all current EU member states.