Podgorica, (MINA-BUSINESS) – According to the Word Bank, Montenegro has become the country with the lowest cross-border payment costs towards the European Union after its accession to SEPA.

 

The Central Bank (CBCG) stated in a press release that Montenegro moved from being the country with the highest cross-border payment costs in the Western Balkans in 2025.

 

According to the report titled “Measuring the Cost of Cross-Border Business-to-Business Payments in the Western Balkans” shows that transfer costs from Montenegro to the EU for an amount of €5,000 are among the lowest and generally amount to around 0.04–0.05 percent of the transaction value. 

 

“For transfers of €20,000, costs fall to below 0.01 percent of the transaction value, a level comparable to the most efficient markets within the EU,” the press release reads.

 

A similarly positive result is recorded for payments from the EU to Montenegro: for transfers of €5,000, costs are low and generally amount to around or below 0.05 percent of the transaction value, while for amounts of €20,000, they decrease to almost zero. 

 

“This confirms the advantage Montenegro enjoys as a SEPA member compared to countries in the region that are not yet part of the system,” the press release says.

 

Payments from the EU to the Western Balkans have significantly accelerated: the share of transactions completed within 24 hours increased from 6 percent in 2024 to as much as 63 percent in 2025.

 

Even faster progress has been recorded in the opposite direction (from the Western Balkans to the EU): the share of transactions completed within 24 hours increased from 39 percent in 2024 to 74 percent in 2025.

 

The World Bank report recalls that Montenegro became operationally integrated into SEPA on 7 October 2025, applying an approach that included fee limitations, enabling citizens and businesses to quickly experience the benefits, particularly in the segment of cross-border business-to-business payments.

 

“The World Bank’s findings confirm that Montenegro’s SEPA integration brings specific and measurable benefits to the economy, including lower transaction costs, greater business predictability, reduced trade barriers with the EU and enhanced competitiveness of Montenegrin companies in the single European market,” the CBCG said.

 

According to the press release, further modernization of payment infrastructure and the improvement of both the efficiency and accessibility of payments, in line with European standards remain CBCG’s goals.