Experience of EU member states shows that Chapter 8: Competition Policy is usually amongst the last ones to be closed in the European integration process. This is because it includes extremely complex rules for granting state aid, and the procedure for notifying, assessing and reporting state aid is identical to the one of the European Commission. Adherence to the competition policy enables participants to operate on the same level in the market and the only measure of their success is quality. Joint Norway/UNOPS “Knowledge for Reform Action in the Western Balkans” Programme gave direct contribution to Montenegro for closing accession negotiations in this Chapter. 

Namely, UNOPS expert cooperated closely with the Agency for Protection of Competition for the purpose of drafting the Manual on State Aid, which should serve as a practical roadmap to state aid grantors in order to act in accordance with relevant rules, and to create a system of measuring the efficiency of granted state aid. The key purpose of the Manual is to raise awareness among grantors and beneficiaries of state aid, as well as the economic and academic community, about the significance of protecting competition in the market through adherence to the rules for application and granting the state aid. 

Furthermore, procedure for ex post control and return of unlawfully granted state aid is also described in detail, as well as monitoring, reporting and entering relevant data into state aid registers. Finally, the Manual contains answers to the most frequently asked questions regarding obligations Montenegro has undertaken in this area through international agreements, such as the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA), the European Energy Community and the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA). 

Next steps that would enable practical use of the Manual could potentially include organising training on Manual's application for ministries, agencies and other entities established by the state with the aim of granting state aid, as well to local self-government units.