The European Commission has stated that data protection provisions in Montenegro’s amended laws on Internal Affairs and the National Security Agency (ANB) are still not fully aligned with EU law, particularly the GDPR and the Law Enforcement Directive (LED). Although Montenegro consulted the Commission on both drafts, full harmonisation has yet to be achieved, the EU Delegation told CdM.
The Commission outlined two options: align the provisions with EU standards before adopting the laws, or adopt them now and ensure compliance before closing accession negotiations. It also called for a comprehensive reform of data protection and said it would closely monitor implementation.
Additionally, the EU expects merit-based police recruitment, proper procedural safeguards, and justified dismissals with access to legal remedies. While Chapter 24 benchmarks require strong border control and a solid track record in fighting organized crime, they do not specifically mandate amendments to these two laws. Montenegro’s parliament is set to debate the legislation on 6 March.
