The entire Western Balkans region is experiencing substantial growth in traffic volumes, and in particular, freight traffic. Border crossing procedures have been identified as a significant barrier to trade and mobility in the Western Balkans. Across the area, there are 30 pairs of road border crossing points, plus two common crossing points on the extended TEN-T Road network. To assist in designing suitable systems to manage and facilitate the movement of cross-border road traffic, the CONNECTA team completed the Study for border crossing facilitation and improvement of the cross-border road transport on the indicative extension of TEN-T Road Core/Comprehensive Network in the Western Balkans.

The CONNECTA team undertook institutional, technical, economic and financial assessment of all border crossing points/common crossing points on the Core and Comprehensive Road Network in the region. The main objective of CONNECTA’s assignment was to propose measures for implementing one-stop-shops for the core and comprehensive road network and an electronic border queuing management system for a number of border crossing points/common crossing points. The overall result will be simpler and more efficient border controls, reduced waiting and processing times and consequently, reduced trade and logistic costs and improved mobility for freight and passengers. For maximum benefits, the proposed measures require effective inter-related engineeringand technology and institutional and legal actions, as well asfull commitment and close cooperation of the Western Balkans partners’ authorities.

This assignment is part of the Connectivity Transport Reform Measures.

The Technical Assistance to Connectivity in the Western Balkans (CONNECTA) is an EU-funded technical assistance contract whose overall objective is to assist in the development and completion of the core transport and energy networks in the Western Balkans region and to support the Digital Agenda for the Western Balkans in line with the new Western Balkans strategy COM(2018)65.

Additional information on CONNECTA’s assignment described here can be obtained by contacting Chris Germanacos, CONNECTA Team Leader, at [email protected] and/or Kostas Georgiou, CONNECTA Transport Key Expert and Deputy Team Leader, at [email protected].