Montenegro has made significant strides in its energy policy by finalizing the incorporation of the Electricity Integration Package into national legislation. This development enhances the country’s electricity market framework and accelerates its energy transition. By aligning its legal framework with European market rules, Montenegro is poised to eliminate barriers to joining the EU’s Single Day-Ahead Coupling (SDAC) and Single Intraday Coupling (SIDC) mechanisms, a crucial step even before achieving formal EU membership.
The legislative process concluded on 15 February with the adoption of two key government decrees that establish system operation rules, emergency procedures, and measures for system restoration. These decrees complement the existing Energy Law and recent legislation governing cross-border electricity and natural gas exchanges. Officials have highlighted that this new regulatory framework aims to provide clearer investment signals, bolster regional integration, promote fair competition, and enhance supply security.
With this legislative achievement, Montenegro becomes the third contracting party within the Energy Community to fully transpose the Electricity Integration Package, following Serbia and Moldova, which completed similar processes in the previous year. Currently, Serbia is undergoing the verification stage of its compliance. The Energy Community Secretariat has indicated its readiness to assist Montenegro in implementing this updated legal framework, which is deemed essential for accelerating the deployment of renewable energy sources and modernizing the national power system.
Montenegrin authorities view this progress as a clear indication of the country’s preparedness for deeper integration into regional and European electricity markets. The establishment of a transparent and stable regulatory environment is expected to ensure competitiveness, sustainability, and a reliable energy supply moving forward.
