It was discussed upon the fulfilment of the political and economic criteria of acession and the implementation of the Stabilization and Association Agreement. The meeeting was chaired by the Chief Negotiator of Montenegro to the European Union, the Ambassador Aleksandar Andrija Pejovic and the Director of Directorate Generale for the Enlargement Aleksandra Kas Granje on Brussels side.

The Director of the Public Procurement Administration at the same time the Head of the Working group on Chapter V- Public Procurement and the members of the Stabilization and Association Committee – Mersad Mujević and Sandra Škatarić – The Manager of the Division for professional training, professional development and international cooperation in the field of Public Procurement were in attendance to the above meeting.

On December 5 of his first day of speaking on The Stabilization and Associaton Agreement, the Ambassador recalled that `Montenegro is the first country adjusting its SAA concerning accession of Croatia to the EU in the part of trade relations thereby fulfilling its commitments completely`, signing of the adapted Agreement that follows, and commencing with its first programming preliminaries in the year of the upcoming funds the amount of which is  expected to be around 35 million euros as he stated. There is a very important event set before Montenegro, since a number of Chapters would be opened by the end of the month, among which are the Chapters 23 and 24 of the Rule of the Law.

Besides the Chapters 23 and 24 of the Rule of Law and of the Fight Against Corruption and Organized Crime the Chapters stated to be ready for opening and of which the negotiating positions were submitted are Chapter V – Public Procurement, the sixth – Commercial Law, the seventh – Intellectual Property Law, 10 Information Society and Media and 20 Entrepreneurship and the Industrial Policy. By opening of the key Chapters in December ‘the new stage on the path of Montenegro to the EU of further working possibilities and  new Chapters in 2015 would be opened’.

On behalf of the Europen Commission, Alexandra Kas Granje said that Montenegro has to move forward at the same pace in all its Chapters, but prior the criteria to the opening of the Chapters 23 and 24 should be met. In her Introductory speach she stated that 2014 would be the year of challenges for  both the EU and Montenegro. The Council is still working on the financial framework, IPA 2 for the coming year, explaining that it will mark a new direction of financial aid provided to Montenegro and other countries.

On December 6 of the Second working day  under the item 5.5  INTERNAL MARKET AND THE COMPETITION, the following activities along with the key operational conclusions of the Subcommittee Meeting of March 5 with the focus on the Public Procurement were considered.

The representative on Brussels side, the Director of Directorate-General for Enlargement  Alexandra Kas Granje welcomed ‘the adoption of the new Law on Public Procurement, the appliance of which commenced on January 1, 2012  and brought the new level of alignment to the acquis, except in the field of concessions. She pointed out that the work on the draft of new strategic document comprising the following period dated from 2015 should commence  at the present moment; All this requires the employment of the new staff and the provision of the adequate financial funds. The contracting authority consolidation aiming to its reduction and the administrative capacity building by organising the professional training were welcomed at all levels. It was pointed out that each law should be done in cooperation with the European Commission announcing the adoption of the new Directive in the field of concessions in 2014. She also announced the initiation of the dialogue on the Public Finance Management by the next year, as the key field along with the following Action plan, thereby presenting the Public Procurement Procedure Operation in relation to the rules stipulated by the International standards. The implementation of acquis in the field of Public Procurement and the Management of IPA funds would be ensured completely by the adoption of the Action plan`.

The Director of the Public Pocurement Administration and the Head of the Working Group on the Chapter V- Public Procurement, Mersad Mujevic expressed his appreciation to the EU Delegation in Podgorica on its versatile assistence in the previous period by  monitoring the implementation of the regulations and compliance with the acquis in a duly way. The significant inter-institutional cooperation the Public Procurement Administration achieved in the previous period primarily referred to the strenghtening the cooperation with the Commission for the Prevention of Conflict of Interest, the Directorate for Anti-Corruption Initiative, Professional Training Center etc. Also, the International Center was organized together with the Countries from the Region, aiming to exchange experience on the main topic of the gathering concerning the Public Procurement. It was pointed out the importance of the realisation of the Strategy for Development of the Public Procurement System in Montenegro for the period of 2011-2014, through implementation of measures defined by the Action Plan, organization of forum on the Public Procurement and the operations of the Coordinating Body. The Report on Public Finance Management –PEFA (Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability) is a common program prepared by the World bank and published on the Public Procurement Administration Portal available in Montenegrin and in the English language presented and directly delivered on this occasion to the Head of the Directorate-General for Enlargement Alexandra Kas Granje. Significance of the usage of the Framework Agreements was also pointed out.

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