General documents - 18th EU-Montenegro SAPC meeting, 25-26 February 2020, Podgorica - Delegation to the EU-Montenegro Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee

The European Union‑Montenegro Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee (SAPC) held its 18th meeting in Podgorica, under the co-chairmanship of Mr Vladimír BILČÍK, Chairman of the European Parliament's Delegation to the EU-Montenegro SAPC and of Mr Ivan BRAJOVIĆ, President of the Parliament of Montenegro. It held an exchange of views with:

• Mr Aleksandar Drljević, Chief Negotiator for Montenegro's Accession to the European Union, on behalf of Government of Montenegro;
• Ms Zdravka Bušić, State Secretary for Political Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia,on behalf of the Presidency-in-Office-of the Council of the European Union;
• H.E. Aivo Orav, EU Ambassador, on behalf of the European Commission;

The Committee addressed the following subjects:

• State of play of accession negotiations and EU-Montenegro relations;
• Progress in rule of law, including fundamental rights and freedoms, judiciary reform and the fight against organised crime and corruption;
• Results in and tasks for improving the legislative framework ahead of and following the 2020 parliamentary elections;
• Environmental and climate change challenges;
• The situation of youth in Montenegro with a focus on education skills, unemployment and brain-drain.