May 17 (SeeNews) - The European Union signed an upgraded agreement on operational cooperation in border management with Montenegro, the European Commission said.
The new agreement will allow European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) to support Montenegro through the deployment of personnel to its borders with its neighbouring Western Balkans partners, in addition to the country's border with the European Union, the Commission said in a press release on Tuesday.
Under the existing Frontex status agreement with Montenegro, deployment of standing corps may only take place at the countries' borders with the EU.
The agreement will enter into force provisionally on July 1, 2023 subject to an operational plan being agreed between Frontex and the Montenegrin border police.
In October last year, the Council of the European Union approved the opening of negotiations on upgraded Frontex status agreements with Albania, Serbia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.