Under the agreement, direct elections for the state union's parliament will be held separately in the two republics, simultaneously with elections for the republic' parliaments. The terms in office of the incumbent members of parliaments will be extended until the elections.
The agreement was signed by the European Union's foreign and security policy chief Javier Solana, presidents Svetozar Marovic of Serbia and Montenegro, Boris Tadic of Serbia and Filip Vujanovic of Montenegro, and Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica of Serbia and Milo Djukanovic of Montenegro.
Solana had been one of the signatories to the Belgrade Agreement, on the basis of which the state union was formed.
The terms of office of the state union parliament's incumbent deputies have expired recently. Under the Constitutional Charter, the new parliament was to be elected in direct elections but, unlike Serbia's parliament, the parliament of Montenegro has so far refused to adopt a law necessary to elect deputies to the state union's parliament.
The agreement signed today reads, among other things, that regulations on a possible referendum must be in compliance with internationally recognised democratic standards, and that the republic organising the referendum must cooperate with the EU in respecting those standards.
The agreement says that efforts will continue to be made so as to meet conditions necessary to make headway in European integration, including full cooperation with the Hague war crimes tribunal. Joint efforts will be made to move forward in the process of stabilisation and association with the EU, in line with the double track principle agreed with the Union, the agreement says, adding that it binds the signatories to continue meeting the conditions from the Constitutional Charter.
Earlier today, Solana met the signatories to the agreement and Serbia and Montenegro Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic. The Serbian government said in a press release Solana expressed satisfaction with the "successful solving of issues" in the state union's cooperation with the Hague tribunal.