Brussels — Acting Director of the CEFTA Secretariat Danijela Gacevic and Minister of Transport and Maritime Affairs of Montenegro Filip Radulovic met today in Brussels and discussed the ways to enhance regional connectivity and plans for the upcoming preparation of the new Common Regional Market Action Plan.

The focus of the meeting centered on advancing the implementation of the Green Lanes and strengthening interconnectivity between the transport sector and CEFTA. With an eye on future activities in preparation for the new Common Regional Market Action Plan, aligning with the European Commission’s Growth Plan, the discussion highlighted the commitment to enhancing the transport connectivity and trade facilitation within CEFTA.

Referring to the importance on addressing the waiting times at the crossing points, Minister Radulovic said ” Statistics show that more than 20 million hours are spent annually at the crossing points, which costs the Western Balkans economies around 300 million euros. Therefore, Montenegro strives to have a common border crossing with all the neighbours, which will further facilitate transport and thus save time and money.”  Emphasising role of the Green Lanes initiative and importance of its further expansion Acting Director Gacevic stated “Thanks to the Green Lanes and the CEFTA SEED system for electronic data exchange, the waiting times last year, compared to 2022, was reduced by 7 minutes per truck in CEFTA, which represents 20 years less waiting considering the total number of crossings in the whole CEFTA during 2023. This shows us that digitization and transport infrastructure have additional potential not only for solving the issue of waiting at the crossings, but also for strengthening economic ties with the EU”.

Minister Radulovic expressed his support for the CEFTA’s initiatives, recognizing their pivotal role in fostering sustainable economic development and trade facilitation. Interlocutors agreed that the joint efforts could streamline transport and trade processes, reduce barriers, and pave the way for a more efficient and integrated regional market.