FTA-s description
Montenegro has rounded up an institutional base for free trade with countries which are main commercial partners of Montenegro and with countries with which there is the biggest potential of developing commercial relations – primarily with EU countries, countries of the region through  the CEFTA Agreement, as well as with Turkey, Russia, Ukraine and EFTA countries.

Implemented FTA-s
At the 8th WTO Ministerial Conference was held in Geneva on 17th December 2011 approved accession of Montenegro to the WTO. The Montenegrin Parliament adopted the Law on Ratification of the Protocol on the Accession of Montenegro to the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization on 27 February 2012, and the instrument of ratification was submitted to theWTO on 30 March 2012. Montenegro will become a full member of WTO on 29 April 2012. Montenegro's membership in WTO represents obligation for further liberalization of national trade regime, providing a transparent and predictable environment for both domestic and foreign companies.
 
Accession of Montenegro to the WTO was approved at the 8th WTO Ministerial Conference held in Geneva on 17th December 2011.The Montenegrin Parliament adopted the Law on Ratification of the Protocol on the Accession of Montenegro to the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the World Trade Organization on 27 February 2012, and the instrument of ratification was submitted to theWTO on 30 March 2012. Montenegro become a full member of the WTO on 29 April 2012. As a  WTO member, Montenegro has assumed the obligation to apply the agreements and pronciples on which the Organization is founded, primariely in terms of trade without discrimination, transparency, liberalization of trade and promotion of competitivness, as well as incentives for development and economic reforms, with the aim to ensure a transparent and predictable environment for both domestic and foreign companies.

Special conditions for FTA-s

 The Stabilization and Accession Agreement between Montenegro and  the European Union was signed on 15 October 2007. The SAA came into force on 1 May 2010, after ratification in 27 national parliaments of the EU member countries. This Agreement establishes a free trade region between Montenegro and the EU, during a five year period from the interim effective date of this Agreement. Within the stated period, both Montenegro and the EU liberalised their respective markets in accordance with the Agreement. Given that Croatia is to access the EU on 1 July 2013, The Stabilisation and Accession Council has empowered the EC to launch initiatives on amendments to the Agreement due to the Croatian accession to the EU. Technical amendments to the SAA are currently under preparation. In accordance with the above, stated, trade relations between Montenegro and Croatia before Croatian accession to the EU shall be regulated by the CEFTA 2006 Agreement, as well as by the Additional Protocol to the Agreement on Amendment of and Accession to the Central European Free Trade Agreement, whose temporary application commenced on 1 July 2011.   

Montenegro has started full implementation of the Agreement on Amendments and Accession to Central-European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA 2006) on 22nd November 2007. Once the Ageement came  into force bilateral relations between Montenegro and the CEFTA 2006 signatories are no longer applicable. Upon entry into force of the Additional Protocol to the Agreement on the Amendment of and Accession to the Central European Free Trade Agreement on 6 January 2012, Montenegro has fully liberalized trade with all CEFTA 2006 signatories, except with Croatia there is agreed asymmetric liberalisation in favour of Montenegro for  a certain number of sensitive products.  

 On 26th November 2008 in Istanbul, Montenegro and Turcey signed the asymmetric Free Trade Agreement. The list of industrial products are identical to the one signed between the European Union and Montenegro, while the list of agricultural products is somewhat limited (Agricultural products for which Turkey can offer concessions to Montenegro are: tariff 1902 (pasta), 500 tons - EU treatment; tariff 2007 (jams) 300 tons - 30% discount in relation to MFN; tariff 2204 (wine), 2500 hl - 75% discount in relation to MFN. Agricultural products for which Montenegro can offer concessions to Turkey are: tariff 0713.40 (lentil), unlimited -100% discount in relation to MFN and tariff 0813.10 (dried apricot), 100% tons - 0%).  The Agreement entered into force on 1 March 2012. 

Montenegro implements the Agreement signed between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Russian Federation, starting from May 2001. Montenegro and Russia have initiated negotiations on amendments to the Protocol to the Free Trade Agreement with the aim to liberize markets in accordance with interests and structures of economies on both sides. The negotiations are currently underway.  

Within the scope of negotiations with the Russian Federation Montenegro is conducting negotiations on Free Trade Agreements with Kazakhstan and Belarus, which together with the Russian Federation formed a Customs Union. Free Trade Agreements with Belarus and Kazahstan shall be bilaterally signed. Lists of goods exempted from the free trade regime and Rules on origin of goods and procedures on administrative cooperation are very likely to be the same for all Union members, which should simplify procedural matters to a great extent. 

The  Agreement on Free Trade between Montenegro and the EFTA was signed in Geneva on 14 November 2011 and come into force on 1 September 2012 with Switzerland and Lichtenstein on 1 October  2012. with Iceland and on 1 November 2012.  with Norway. The Law on Ratification of the Agreement on Free Trade between Montenegro and EFTA was published in the Official Gazette of Montenegro - International Agreements, no 8/2012 on 19 June 2012. The subject of negotiations with the EFTA countries was the main text of the Agreement, with accompanying documents, as well as agreements on agriculture which were signed between Montenegro and other member countries. 

The Agreement on Free Trade between Montenegro and Ukraine was signed on 18 November 2011.  The Law on Ratification of the Free Trade Agreement between the Government of Montenegro and the Government of Ukraine, was adopted by the Parliament on 27 February 2012 and published in the Official Gazette of Montenegro - International agreements no 3/2012 on 8 March 2012. The Agreement entered into force on 1 January 2013 in accordance with the defined procedures.  

Contact
MINISTRY OF ECONOMY
Rimski trg broj 46
81000 Podgorica
Tel: +382 20 482 119