Montenegro

This page gathers key information on Montenegro's negotiations to join the WTO. Montenegro became the 154th WTO member on 29 April 2012.

Page for Montenegro as a Member

Related news View the Commitments Database

Accession status:

Member

Current status in the accession process

I. Overview

Show all GATT WTO

Application received	23/12/2004	WT/ACC/CGR/1
Accession Working Party established	15/02/2005	WT/GC/M/92
Terms of Reference & accession Working Party membership	23/02/2005	WT/ACC/CGR/2 + (revisions)

Chairpersons

Order	Presiding between	Chairperson
Order	Between dates 02/2006 - 12/2011	Chairperson Ambassador Andrej LOGAR (Slovenia)
Order	Between dates 05/2005 - 02/2006	Chairperson Ambassador Alja GOSNAR (Slovenia)

Formal meetings

	Date of the meeting	Convening notice	Statement(s) by the Head of the Delegation	Statement(s) by Working Party members	Delegation list	Other documents for the meeting	News item
1st	Date of the meeting 04/10/2005	Convening notice WTO/AIR/2668	Statement(s) by the Head of the Delegation	Statement(s) by Working Party members	Delegation list List	Other documents for the meeting	News item News item
2nd	Date of the meeting 05/07/2006	Convening notice WTO/AIR/2852	Statement(s) by the Head of the Delegation	Statement(s) by Working Party members	Delegation list List	Other documents for the meeting	News item
3rd	Date of the meeting 27/02/2007	Convening notice WTO/AIR/2963	Statement(s) by the Head of the Delegation	Statement(s) by Working Party members	Delegation list List	Other documents for the meeting	News item
4th	Date of the meeting 19/07/2007	Convening notice WTO/AIR/3048	Statement(s) by the Head of the Delegation Statement	Statement(s) by Working Party members	Delegation list List	Other documents for the meeting	News item
5th	Date of the meeting 28/02/2008	Convening notice WTO/AIR/3155	Statement(s) by the Head of the Delegation	Statement(s) by Working Party members	Delegation list List	Other documents for the meeting	News item
6th	Date of the meeting 18/07/2008	Convening notice WTO/AIR/3219	Statement(s) by the Head of the Delegation	Statement(s) by Working Party members	Delegation list List	Other documents for the meeting	News item
7th	Date of the meeting 07/11/2008	Convening notice WTO/AIR/3272	Statement(s) by the Head of the Delegation	Statement(s) by Working Party members	Delegation list List	Other documents for the meeting	News item
8th	Date of the meeting 05/12/2011	Convening notice WTO/AIR/3866	Statement(s) by the Head of the Delegation Statement	Statement(s) by Working Party members	Delegation list List	Other documents for the meeting	News item News item

Plurilateral Meetings

	Date of the meeting	Convening notice	Statement(s) by the Head of the Delegation
	Date of the meeting	Convening notice	Statement(s) by the Head of the Delegation

II. Multilateral Negotiations

Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime (MFTR)	08/03/2005	WT/ACC/CGR/3 (+ addendum)
Initial cycle(s) of Questions and Replies, following the circulation of the MFTR	18/08/2005	WT/ACC/CGR/7
	15/09/2005	WT/ACC/CGR/8
	30/05/2006	WT/ACC/CGR/10
	30/05/2006	WT/ACC/CGR/16
	14/12/2006	WT/ACC/CGR/17
	23/05/2007	WT/ACC/CGR/23
	06/06/2007	WT/ACC/CGR/24
Factual Summary of Points Raised	02/07/2007	JOB(07)/115
Additional Questions & Replies	16/07/2007	WT/ACC/CGR/24/Add.3
	25/01/2008	WT/ACC/CGR/27
	25/01/2008	WT/ACC/CGR/27/Add.1
	02/06/2008	WT/ACC/CGR/28
	17/06/2008	WT/ACC/CGR/28/Add.2
	17/10/2008	WT/ACC/CGR/30
Elements of a Draft Report of the Working Party
Draft Report of the Working Party	05/02/2008	WT/ACC/SPEC/CGR/4 (+ revisions & addendum)
Agriculture including Questions & Replies (WT/ACC/22/Add.1)	19/04/2005	WT/ACC/SPEC/CGR/1 (+ revisions & addenda)
SPS Checklist (WT/ACC/22/Add.2)	15/02/2007	WT/ACC/CGR/19 (+ revision)
TBT Checklist (WT/ACC/22/Add.2)	16/02/2007	WT/ACC/CGR/20
TRIPS Questionnaire (WT/ACC/22/Add.2)	30/05/2006	WT/ACC/CGR/14
Import Licensing Procedures Questionnaire (WT/ACC/22 + revisions)	15/02/2007	WT/ACC/CGR/18 (+ revision)
Customs Valuation Checklist (WT/ACC/22 + revisions)
State-Trading Questionnaire (WT/ACC/22 + revisions)
Draft Subsidies Notification (WT/ACC/22/Add.2)	30/05/2006	WT/ACC/CGR/15 (+ addenda)
Legislative Action Plan (LAP)	30/05/2006	WT/ACC/CGR/12 (+ revisions)
Rule-specific Action Plans	16/02/2007	WT/ACC/CGR/26 (IP-specific)

Legislation and implementing regulations

	Legislation notice	Notified legislation
08/03/2005	WT/ACC/CGR/3/Add.2	Law on Copyright and Related Rights of 1 January 2005 (Official Gazette No. 61 of Serbia and Montenegro of 24 December 2004) Law on Geographical Indications for the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia of 1 April 1995 (Official Gazette No. 15 of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia of 24 March 1995) Law on Patents of 10 July 2004 (Official Gazette No. 15 of Serbia and Montenegro of 2 July 2004) Law on Legal Protection of Design of 1 January 2005 (Official Gazette No. 61 of Serbia and Montenegro of 24 December 2004) Law on Protection of Topographies of Integrated Circuits of 1 January 2005 (Official Gazette No. 61 of Serbia and Montenegro of 24 December 2004) Law on Trademarks of 1 January 2005 (Official Gazette No. 61 of Serbia and Montenegro of 24 December 2004)
08/06/2005	WT/ACC/CGR/5	Law "On Value Added Tax" (RM OG Nos. 65/01, 12/02, 38/02, 72/02 and 21/03) Law "On Excise Tax" (RM OG Nos. 65/01 and 12/02) Law "On Customs" (RM OG Nos. 7/02, 38/02, 72/02, 21/03 and 31/03) Law "On Free Zone" (RM OG No. 42/04) Law "On Foreign Investment" (RM OG No. 52/00) Law "On Foreign Trade" (RM OG No. 28/04) Regulation "On Implementation of the Foreign Trade Law" (RM OG No. 52/04) Regulation "On Actions of the Customs Authority Applicable to Goods Suspected of Infringement of Intellectual Property Rights" (RM OG No. 25/05) Decree "On Implementation of the Customs Law, Rules of Origin and Customs Valuation (RM OG No. 15/03)
02/08/2005	WT/ACC/CGR/6	Non-Preferential Origin of Goods; Part 3 of Rules on Origin of Goods (RM OG No. 15/03) Law "On Foreign Investment" (RM OG No. 52/00) Law "On Foreign Trade" (RM OG No. 28/04) Law "On Excise Tax" (RM OG Nos. 52/01 and 12/02) Law "On Customs" (RM OG Nos. 7/02, 38/02, 72/02, 21/03 and 31/03) Law "On Value Added Tax" (RM OG Nos. 65/01, 12/02, 38/02, 72/02 and 21/03) Law "On Free Zones" Regulation "On Implementation of the Foreign Trade Law" (RM OG No. 52/04) Regulation "On Actions of the Customs Authority Applicable to Goods Suspected of Infringement of Intellectual Property Rights" (RM OG No. 25/05)
17/08/2005	WT/ACC/CGR/6/Add.1	Applied Tariff Rates of the Republic of Montenegro (HS 1996) Draft Law on Customs Tariff - Applied Tariff Rates of the Republic of Montenegro (HS 2002).
05/10/2005	WT/ACC/CGR/9	Draft Law "On Customs Tariff" Law "On Cinematography" Law "On Genetically Modified Organisms and related regulations" Law "On Foreign Current and Capital Operations" (RM OG No. 45/05) Law "On Enforcement of the Legislation that Regulates Protection of Intellectual Property Rights" (RM OG No. 45/05) Law "On Veterinary" (RM OG No. 11/01) Law "On Tobacco" (RM OG No. 80/2004 and No. 5/05) Decision "On Control List for Import and Export of Goods" (RM OG No. 44/04) Ordinance "On Undertaking the Measures to Prevent Introduction of the Animal Infectious Disease Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in the Republic of Montenegro" (RM OG No. 23/05)
30/05/2006	WT/ACC/CGR/11	Criteria for Establishing of Health Condition of the Crops and Facilities, Seeds, Nursery Plants and Planting Material Decision "On the Level of Compensation for Veterinary-Sanitary Control in the Trade Across the Border of the Republic of Montenegro" (RM OG No. 50/2005) of 7 July 2005 Decision "On Control List for Export, import and Transit of Goods" of 16 March 2006 Decision "On the Promulgation of the Constitution of the Republic of Montenegro" of 12 October 2004 Decree "On the Proclamation of the Law On General Administrative Procedure" (RM OG No. 60/03) of 28 October 2003 Decree "On Promulgation of the Law On Administrative Disputes" (OG RM No. 60/2003) of 22 October 2003 Draft Law "On Indications of Geographical Origin Economic Reform Agenda Law "On Customs Tariff" applied from January 2006 Law "On Foreign Trade in Weapons, Military Equipment and Dual-use Goods" (SM OG No. 7/05) Law "On Plant Health Protection" Law "On Protection of Topographies of Integrated Circuits"
14/12/2006	WT/ACC/CGR/17/Add.1	Customs Law, including amendments (RM OG Nos. 7/02, 38/02, 72/02, 21/03, 31/03, 29/05 and 66/06) Draft Plant Variety Protection Law (dated January 2006) Law "On Indications of Geographical Origin" (OG of Serbia and Montenegro No. 20/06) Law "On Abolishment of the Law 'On Social Price Control'" (RM OG No. 27/2006) Law "On Seed Material of Agricultural Plants, promulgated on 20 April 2006 " (RM OG No. 28/2006) Law "On Promulgation of the Law 'On Planting Material, promulgated on 20 April 2006'" (RM OG No. 28/2006)
27/02/2007	WT/ACC/CGR/17/Add.2	Decree "On Implementation of the Customs Law" (RM OG Nos. 15/03 and 81/06)
15/02/2007	WT/ACC/CGR/22	Decree "On the Types, Amounts and Manner of Payment of Fee for Services Rendered by Customs Authorities" (RM OG No. 4/07) Decree "On Amendments to the Decree 'On Implementation of the Customs Law'" (RM OG No. 81/06) The Penal Code of the Republic of Montenegro (Amendments Published in RM OG No. 47/06, on 25 July 2006. Effective as of 3 August 2006) Law "On Optical Discs" List of Technical Regulations on Quality of Food and Industrial Products Applied in the Republic of Montenegro Regulation "On Actions of the Customs Authority Applicable to Goods Suspected of Infringement of Intellectual Property Rights" (RM OG No. 25/05) Edict "On Promulgation of the Veterinary Law" (RM OG No. 11/04)
23/05/2007	WT/ACC/CGR/23/Add.1	The Decision "On the Level of Compensation for Veterinary-Sanitary Control in the Trade Across the Border of the Republic of Montenegro" (RM OG No. 50/05)
05/06/2007	WT/ACC/CGR/24/Add.1	Law "On Protection of Competition" (RM OG No. 69/05) Law "On Copyright and Related Rights" (SM OG No. 61/04) Law "On Patents" (SM OG No. 15/04) Law "On Trademarks" (SM OG No. 61/04) Law "On Legal Protection of Design" (SM OG No. 61/04) Law "On Indications of Geographical Origin" Law "On Protection of Topographies of Integrated Circuits" Law "On Enforcement of the Legislation that Regulates Protection of Intellectual Property Rights" Penal Code of the Republic of Montenegro (RM OG No. 47/06), Criminal Offences Against Intellectual Property Rights (Articles 233 238, 271) Regulation "On Actions of the Customs Authority Applicable to Goods Suspected of Infringement of Intellectual Property Rights" (RM OG 25/05) Draft Law "On Plant Variety Protection"
16/07/2007	WT/ACC/CGR/24/Add.2	Law on Customs Tariff Law "On Technical Requirements and Conformity Assessment of Products" Law "On Standardization" Law "On Foreign Investment" (RM OG No. 52/00) Law "On Foreign Trade" (RM OG No. 28/04) Law "On Free Zones" dated June 2004 Rulebooks: - "On Quality of Seeds of Agriculture Plants" - "On Quality and Other Requirements for Animal Food" - "On Quality of Fruit, Vegetable and Mushrooms" - "On Declaration and Labelling of Packed Foodstuff" - "On Quality of Fruit, Vegetable and Mushroom Products and Pectin Preparations" Decree "On Criteria for Determination of Maximum Prices of Medicines" Decision "On Control List for Export, Import and Transit of Goods" Regulation "On Implementation of the Law 'On Foreign Trade'" (RM OG No. 52/04) Draft Law "On Protection of Confidential Information" Draft Law "On Modifications and Amendments of the Law 'On Business Companies'" Part VII. "General Obligations in the Trade in Food and Animal Feed Food Safety Measures in International Trade" of the Draft Law "On Food Safety"
25/01/2008	WT/ACC/CGR/27/Add.2	Law "On Protection of Undisclosed Information" (RM OG No. 16/07) Regulation "On Providing the Application of Intellectual Property Rights", dated 20 September 2007 (RM OG No. 61/07) "Food Safety Law" (RM OG No. 14/07) Decision "On Establishing the Accreditation Body of Montenegro" (RM OG No. 21/07) Draft Law "On Property, Chapter XII, Regulating the Rights of Foreign Persons" Draft Regulation "On the Procedure for Notification of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures"; Draft Law "On Plant Protection Product" of December 2007 Decree No. 01-961/2 "On Promulgation of Fertilizer Law", dated 2 August 2007 (RM OG No. 48/2007) Law "On Banks", proposal of 7 November 2007
20/02/2008	WT/ACC/CGR/27/Add.3	'Administrative Fees Connected with Trade' - Summary of the Law "On Administrative Fees" and of the Draft Law "On Amendments to the Law on Administrative Fees"; Decree No. 03-10879 "On Harmonization of the Customs Tariff Nomenclature for 2008" dated 20 December 2007; Draft Amendments to the "Customs Law" dated 14 February 2008 Draft Amendments to the Law "On Medicines" dated 14 February 2008 Draft Law "On Genetically Modified Organisms" dated 14 February 2008 Draft Law "On Internal Trade" dated 14 February 2008 (Translation of Relevant Provisions) Draft Law "On Indications of Geographical Origin" dated 7 February 2008 Draft Law "On Employment and Work of Aliens" dated 14 February 2008 Draft "Patent Law" dated 7 February 2008 Law "On Technical Requirements and Conformity Assessment of Products with Prescribed Requirements" dated 11 February 2008 Law "On Standardization" dated 11 February 2008 Regulation "On Amendments of the Implementing Regulation for the Customs Law" dated 20 December 2006 Regulation on Amendments to the Regulation "On Actions of the Customs Authority Applicable to Goods Suspected of Infringement of Intellectual Property Rights" dated 14 February 2008 Regulation "On Procedure of Notification of Technical Regulations, Standards and Conformity Assessment Procedures" dated 7 February 2008
02/06/2008	WT/ACC/CGR/28/Add.1	Decision "On Control List for Export, Import and Transit of Goods" (RM OG No. 45/07) Decision "On Privatization Plan for 2008" (RM OG No. 17/08) Law "On Free Zones" (RM OG No. 11/07)
17/06/2008	WT/ACC/CGR/28/Add.3	Customs Law, Chapter Three, "Value of Goods for Customs Purposes" Decision "On Control List for Export, Import and Transit of Goods" (RM OG No. 45/07) Decree "On Implementation of Customs Law", Part 3, "Origin of Goods"; and Part 4, "Customs Valuation of Goods"; Law "On Excise Taxes", Provisions on Tobacco Products Law "On Standardization" Law "On Technical Requirements and Conformity Assessment of Products with Prescribed Requirements" Strategy for Improving the Quality Infrastructure in Montenegro
17/10/2008	WT/ACC/CGR/30/Add.1	The Penal Code of the Republic of Montenegro (RM OG No. 47/06), Criminal Offences Against Intellectual Property Rights (Articles 233 - 238, 271)
21/10/2008	WT/ACC/CGR/30/Add.2	Law "On Tobacco" (OG MNE No. 48/08) Law "On Fertilizers" (RM OG No. 48/07) Law "On Plant Protection Products" (OG MNE No. 51/08) Law "On Medicines" (RM OG No. 80/04) Law "On Standardization" (OG MNE No. 13/08) Law "On Technical Requirements and Conformity Assessment of Products with Prescribed Requirements" (OG MNE No. 14/08) Draft Law "On Changes and Amendments to the Law on Medicines" Decree "On Procedure of Notification in the Area of Technical Regulations, Standards and Conformity Assessment Procedures" dated 24 July 2008 Decree "On the Manner of Preparation and Adoption of Technical Regulations and Technical Specifications and Register of Technical Regulations" (OG MNE No. 55/08) Draft Decree "On Conditions for Application of Technical Regulations of Other Countries and Records of Foreign Certificates of Conformity Draft Decree "On the Manner and Procedures of Assessment of Conformity of Products with Prescribed Requirements"
25/11/2008	WT/ACC/CGR/31	Customs Law (RM OG No. 21/08) Decree "On Implementation of the Customs Law" (RM OG No. 38/08)
18/11/2011	WT/ACC/CGR/32	Law "On Administrative Fees" - Consolidated Text Law Amending the Banking Law, dated 16 July 2010 Central Bank of Montenegro Law, dated 16 July 2010 Law "On Local Self-Government Financing" Decree Promulgating the Law "On Tax on Profit of Legal Entities (Law on Corporate Profit Tax)" Decree Promulgating the Law "On Tax on Income of Natural Persons (Law on Personal Income Tax)" Decree "On the Proclamation of the Foreign Investment Law" (OG MNE No. 18/11), dated 1 April 2011 Additional Protocol to the Agreement on Amendment of and Accession to the Central European Free Trade Agreement, dated 11 February 2011
21/11/2011	WT/ACC/CGR/33	Law "On Amendments to the Law 'On Employment and Work of Foreigners'", dated 22 June 2011 Law "On Excise Taxes" Law "On the Protection of Topographies of Integrated Circuits", dated 9 December 2010 Law "On Legal Protection of Industrial Design", dated 22 December 2010 The Patent Law (OG MNE No. 66/08) Decree "On the Promulgation of the Law 'On Trademarks'", dated 6 December 2010 Law "On Standardization" (OG MNE No. 13/08) Law "On Technical Requirements for Products and Conformity Assessment" Decree "On Procedure of Notification in the Area of Technical Regulations, Standards, and Conformity Assessment Procedures", dated 24 July 2008 Decree "On Manner and Procedures of Assessment of Conformity of Products with Prescribed Requirements" (OG MNE No. 71/08), dated 30 October 2008 Decree "On Conditions for Application of Technical Regulations of Other Countries and Records of Foreign Certificates of Conformity" (OG MNE No. 74/08), dated 30 October 2008 Decree "On Manner of Preparation and Adoption of Technical Regulations and Technical Specifications and Register of Technical Regulations" (OG MNE No. 55/08), dated 24 July 2008 Enactment Promulgating the Law "On General Product Safety", dated 4 August 2008 Ordinance Promulgating the Law "On Metrology" (OG MNE No. 79/08), dated 22 December 2008 Decree Promulgating the Law "On Business Organizations"
23/11/2011	WT/ACC/CGR/35	Edict to Proclaim the Copyright and Related Rights Act, dated 25 July 2011
25/11/2011	WT/ACC/CGR/36	The Customs Law Law "On Corporate Profit Tax" Law "On Value Added Tax" Enactment on Proclamation of the Law "On Tax on Turnover of Used Passenger Motor Vehicles, Vessels, Airplanes and Aircrafts, dated 24 September 2003 Enactment Proclaiming the Law "On Tax Administration", dated 27 December 2001 Decree on Proclamation of the Law "On Real Estate Tax", dated 27 December 2001 Decree on Promulgation of the Law "On Excise Taxes"
28/11/2011	WT/ACC/CGR/37	Law "On Free Zones"

Consultation documents

	Consultation notice	Notified consultation document
18/04/2005	WT/ACC/CGR/4 (+ corrigendum)	Information on Policy Measures Affecting Trade in Services
30/05/2006	WT/ACC/CGR/13	Privatization report
10/07/2007	WT/ACC/CGR/25	Checklist of documents
19/06/2008	WT/ACC/CGR/29	Implementation and Administration of the Agreements on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT)
21/11/2011	WT/ACC/CGR/34	Communication from Montenegro - Letter from the Minister of Economy of Montenegro, H.E. Dr. Vladimir Kavaric

III. Bilateral Market Access Negotiations

Goods Offer(s)	12/06/2006	WT/ACC/SPEC/CGR/3 (+ revisions)
Services Offer(s)	01/07/2005	WT/ACC/SPEC/CGR/2 (+ revisions & corrigenda)
Register of Bilateral Market Access Agreements		Register
Draft Goods Schedule	11/12/2008	File 1 WT/ACC/SPEC/CGR/6 (, File 2) (+ revisions & corrigendum)
Draft Services Schedule	10/12/2008	WT/ACC/SPEC/CGR/5 (+ revisions & corrigendum)
Goods and Services Technical Verification Meetings

IV. Accession Package (“Terms of Accession”, de-restricted)

Ministerial Conference/General Council Decision on the Accession	17/12/2011	WT/L/841; WT/MIN(11)/28
Protocol of Accession	17/12/2011	WT/L/841; WT/MIN(11)/28
Report of the Working Party	05/12/2011	WT/ACC/CGR/38; WT/MIN(11)/7
Goods Schedule (Schedule of Concessions and Commitments Annexed to the GATT 1994)	05/12/2011	File 1 WT/ACC/CGR/38/Add.1; WT/MIN(11)/7/Add.1 (); (File 2)
Services Schedule (Schedule of Specific Commitments Annexed to the GATS)	05/12/2011	WT/ACC/CGR/38/Add.2; WT/MIN(11)/7/Add.2

V. Instrument of Acceptance

Notification of Acceptance and Entry Into Force of the Protocol of Accession

30/03/2012

WT/LET/849

VI. Date of Membership: on the 29/04/2012, Montenegro became the 154th WTO member.

News item

VII. Since 1995, this is the 26th economy that joined the WTO pursuant to Article XII of the Marrakesh Agreement.

All documents on the accession of Montenegro in Documents Online by date of circulation

Note:

The de-restriction of documents is a key component of the transparency obligations of the Multilateral Trading System. Paragraphs 1 and 2(e) of the Ministerial Council Decision WT/L/452 of 14 May 2002 provide that “documents relating to working parties on accession shall be restricted and shall be automatically de-restricted upon the adoption of the report of the working party” by the Ministerial Conference/General Council. The time of completion of the de-restriction process depends on the amount and complexities of the documents involved. Prior to 2002, the de-restriction of accession-related documents was governed by a different set of rules (i.e. General Council Decision WT/L/160/Rev.1 of 26 July 1996), which only affect documents circulated prior to 2002.

Montenegro

Montenegro

Current status in the accession process

About WTO

Follow WTO