SKOPJE – At the Western Balkans Leaders Meeting on the Growth Plan held in Skopje, regional leaders, together with representatives of the European Commission, regional organisations, and key implementing partners, underlined the vital importance of the Green Lanes initiative as a milestone of regional transport and trade facilitation.
Building on the success of Green Lanes in keeping borders open and trade flowing during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Leaders recognised that the initiative has now become a structural measure for reducing border waiting times and boosting the competitiveness of the Western Balkans. Discussions at the meeting highlighted the Green Lanes as a concrete achievement stemming from strong political will, regional unity, and effective cooperation with the European Union.
The Joint statement from the leaders of the Western Balkans Six, states that “recognising the need for improved free movement of goods, the WB 6, the CEFTA Secretariat, and the Transport Community have finalised a Green Lanes Roadmap, thus providing foundation for enhanced intra-CEFTA trade, improved customs cooperation, and modernised border/common crossing points (BCP/CCP). We commit to completing the necessary steps for implementing relevant agreements and undertaking essential investments to achieve the full potential of the Common Regional Market.”
Additionally, the statement outlines that “in line with the Comprehensive Roadmap, the Transport Community, in cooperation with the CEFTA Secretariat, has developed 11 project fiches focusing on major crossing points between the Western Balkan Six and the EU. Full implementation of these fiches could reduce waiting times by up to 70%. We welcome the commitment of the European Commission to make available both technical support to bring the investment projects to maturity and the necessary funding for their realisation and commit to linking up with neighbouring EU Member States to align our procedures on both sides. We reaffirm our commitment to the full implementation of the 11 project fiches and Comprehensive Roadmap and underscore the importance of securing support for the 5 additional project fiches recently completed under the Green Lanes initiative.”
Mr Matej Zakonjšek, Director of the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community, stressed that the Green Lanes have evolved from an emergency response to a long-term solution that has already saved years of waiting time at intra-Western Balkan borders. He called on Leaders to coordinate across administrations and engage their counterparts on the EU side to ensure smooth and synchronised implementation.
“This is no longer a pilot or an idea. This is a shared plan that can become a shared success,” Mr Zakonjšek noted, urging leaders to act decisively with the roadmap, funding, and European Commission support already in place.
The meeting reaffirmed commitment by Western Balkan leaders to further develop and expand the Green Lanes initiative between the region and the EU, with the goal of reducing border waiting times and fully unlocking the potential of the Common Regional Market.
