The Third High-Level Conference of Customs Directors General of the Western Balkans and EU Member States, titled Bridging Markets, Aligning Standards: Green Lanes as a Pillar of Enhanced Integration into the EU Single Market, took place in Athens on 11 June, 2026.
Organised jointly by the Authority for Public Revenue of the Hellenic Republic, the CEFTA Secretariat through the SEED+ Action and the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community, the event brought together Directors General of Customs administrations from CEFTA Parties and EU Member States, representatives of the European Commission, the business community, and the relevant regional and international organisations.
Strengthened interoperability between customs systems, increased use of real-time electronic exchange of data, coordinated risk management and enhanced cooperation among agencies at crossings were highlighted to be central elements for ensuring secure, resilient, and predictable trade flows between CEFTA and the European Union. The Conference also reaffirmed the importance of customs administrations as key institutional actors in supporting connectivity, economic integration, and respective gradual regulatory convergence with the EU. Additionally, continued support for capacity-building and technical assistance programmes were recognised as essential for sustainable reform, effective implementation of customs modernisation efforts and advancement of the Green Lanes initiative.
CONNECTA 2 experts attended the Conference to brief the participants on its ongoing support provided to the Western Balkan partners and in particular on its imminent Border Crossing Points assignment for that whole region.
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To learn more about the event and the Conference Final statements, please visit the Transport Community Permanent Secretariat’s website.
