Decent Work Country Programme for Montenegro 2019-2021

The new DWCP for Montenegro is a result of a tripartite consultation on ILO support in Montenegro for the period 2019–2021. It aims at creating employment, extending social protection, guaranteeing rights at work, and promoting social dialogue as key components of economic and social policies.

The Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP) 2019-2021 supports the national development priorities outlined in the Montenegro Development Directions 2018–2021.

The key challenges addressed by the DWCP are the high long-term unemployment, elevated levels of youth unemployment and inactivity, high informality, and continued emigration. The key issue in the area of social security is the unsustainable pension system.

The programme addresses these decent work deficits by strengthening social dialogue mechanisms and collective bargaining, creating favorable conditions for employment and sustainable entrepreneurship, and through formalisation of the informal economy. Through the programme ILO also supports the EU accession negotiations of Montenegro, especially on chapter 19 covering employment and social policies.