Meeting of the Needs Assessment Project Steering Committee: CBCG Committed to Institutional Transformation and European Standards
30/01/2026
The third meeting of the Steering Committee for the project CBCG Needs Assessment for the Alignment with the European System of Central Banks (ESCB) and Eurosystem Standards was held at De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) in Amsterdam.
The project is being implemented in cooperation with partner institutions, the DNB, the National Bank of Belgium (NBB) and the Deutsche Bundesbank, which also leads the Western Balkans Programme (WB6) aimed at strengthening the capacities of central banks in the region and supporting their integration into the ESCB.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the CBCG and partner central banks, who discussed the activities implemented to date and the planned ones. They jointly concluded that the project is being implemented successfully and in line with the planned timeline.
The CBCG team led by the Governor Irena Radović and the experts from partner institutions discussed the concrete findings of the assessment carried out so far and the next steps in implementing project activities. They confirmed progress in the project implementation, and highlighted its exceptionally important role in the institutional transformation of the CBCG and its preparation for ESCB membership upon Montenegro’s accession to the EU.
Governor Radović underlined the CBCG’s full commitment to aligning its organisation, processes and operating practices with the ESCB and the Eurosystem standards and requirements. This represents one of the key prerequisites for strengthening institutional credibility and efficiency and for Montenegro’s progress in the European integration process.
The project, which began in September 2025 and will run until June 2026, aims to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the current situation, identify areas for improvement and define clear reform priorities in line with European central banking standards. The assessment will result in specific recommendations by ESCB experts, which will be consolidated into a Roadmap and an accompanying action plan for implementing the necessary reforms at all organisational levels of the CBCG. This will ensure that the CBCG will be fully prepared for membership in the ESCB and the Eurosystem upon Montenegro’s accession to the European Union.
As part of the visit to Amsterdam, Governor Radović met with the DNB President, Olaf Sleijpen. They underlined that the Needs Assessment project is of strategic importance for the CBCG and will contribute to its further transformation into a modern, credible and European-oriented central bank. Governor Radović expressed her gratitude to President Sleijpen for the continuous and strong support that the DNB provides to the CBCG.
During the meeting, they also discussed current economic and monetary policy issues and the shared challenges in safeguarding financial stability in the context of heightened geopolitical and economic uncertainty.
Governor Radović and Governor Sleijpen reaffirmed their commitment to continuing close cooperation and the exchange of experience.