The European Union has announced it will open two new chapters to the present volume of negotiation texts it has offered to Montenegro.



A European Council statement cited by EurActiv says taxation and external affairs are the two issues to be included in the talks upon the agreement of both Brussels and Podgorica, thus having 18 out of 35 chapters opened.



EU officials are quoted as saying a conference on the country's membership bid is due in July.



This comes against the backdrop of intention announced by Brussels to halt expansion in the next five years, with experts having cited "enlargement fatigue" and the need of the 28-nation bloc to adapt to recent years' internal changes.