UNOPS has ensured the transposition of key EU regulations into Montenegro’s legal framework, such as Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 on protective measures against plant pests and Regulation (EU) 2017/625 on official controls into a draft Law on Plant Health Protection. The main goal of this assignment has been to assist the Ministry of Forestry, Agriculture and Water Management in drafting the new Law on Plant Health Protection in line with EU standards and the 2024 – 2027 Government Work Programme. Building Montenegro’s capacity to implement a vigorous system for plant health protection and official controls is essential to meeting the second closing benchmark for Chapter 12.

The UNOPS expert facilitated the engagement of the members of the working group led by the Administration for Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Affairs in producing the first draft of the new Law on Plant Health Protection. Additionally, an accompanying table of concordance against the EU acquis and five implementing and delegated acts related to plant health and official control regulations have been prepared, including Rulebooks on a) elements for determination of plants or plant products that may present a risk from new pests or other phytosanitary risk; b) criteria for pest risk assessment for high-risk plants; c) measures of pest risk management; d) principles of pest risk management and e) systematic examinations in protected zones. These acts are critical for ensuring the effective implementation of the new law.

The work of the UNOPS advisor has a significant impact on Montenegro’s EU accession process, as being central to meeting the closing benchmarks of Chapter 12. By fostering legislative harmonization and institutional capacity, the work of UNOPS advances Montenegro’s position towards EU membership – and it also enhances Montenegro’s ability to protect agricultural productivity and support sustainable development, while fostering food safety and protecting the health and interests of consumers.

Finally, implementing the new rules on plant health and official controls will effectively prepare Montenegro’s accession to the EU single market, with the expected positive effects for the domestic economy and for the people of Montenegro. This will create new opportunities for agricultural, forestry, food processing and related sectors, boosting the national economy.

“From the beginning of the EU accession process, Montenegro has put a lot of effort into the transposition of the EU acquis, capacity building of institutions, developing and upgrading national systems and resources. The demanding task of transposition and implementation of plant health and official controls rules has been mostly successfully achieved, but the process is ongoing. Although many key elements of the EU plant health and official controls regime are already in place in Montenegro, the need for a new legislation framework was evident.

With the new law on plant health, Montenegro will create a necessary base for effective transposition of all implementing EU rules in phytosanitary area. It will certainly accelerate the closing of Chapter 12 in the accession process. However, it will have a more important benefit for the economy and people of Montenegro.

Implementing new rules will effectively prepare Montenegro’s accession to the EU single market. At the moment of accession, Montenegro can be not only legally harmonized, but already experienced with EU plant health and official controls regimes.”

– Dario Ivić, Expert in Chapter 12 – Food safety, veterinary and phytosanitary policy

The new law on plant health directly supports SDG 15: Life on Land, which aims at promoting, protecting and restoring sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainable management of forests, combating desertification, halting land degradation and, above all, halting the loss of biodiversity and natural habitats.