The Central Bank of Montenegro has formally completed an independent assessment of its institutional and operational readiness for future participation in the European System of Central Banks when Montenegro joins the European Union, and subsequently in the Eurosystem. The final report finds that the central bank has a solid institutional foundation but needs additional capacity and investment to meet the broader scope and operational demands of European central banking. Priority areas include analytical and supervisory capabilities, monetary and macroprudential policy implementation, information technology and data management, cybersecurity, operational resilience, digital transformation and human resources. Conducted from September 2025 to June 2026 with partner central banks, the assessment involved 13 expert missions, more than 60 experts and 18 individual reports. The recommendations will underpin a roadmap setting out projects, resource needs and implementation timelines for alignment with ESCB, Eurosystem, and European banking supervision and resolution standards. This shifts the Central Bank of Montenegro from assessment to reforms and investment aimed at achieving operational readiness from the first day of the country’s EU membership.