Making transport in the Western Balkans cleaner, safer, more efficient, and responsive to climate challenges is on the priority agendas of both the European Union and the Western Balkans partners. The policies and goals tackling the deployment of smart and sustainable mobility in the Western Balkans have been highlighted in several key documents, including the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans – adopted by the European Commission in October 2020, and the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans to which the Regional Partners have committed by signing the Sofia Declaration.
To mark the start of CONNECTA’s sub-project ‘Technical Assistance for the Deployment of Smart and Sustainable Mobility in the Western Balkans’, the kick-off meeting was held on 8 March, 2022 via videoconference. The meeting was attended by the representatives of the Directorate-General for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR), the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community (TCPS) and CONNECTA Team.
The scope of CONNECTA’s assignment is the development of the strategic documentation needed for the deployment of smart and sustainable mobility in the Western Balkans. The main objective is to enhance mobility by focusing on sustainability and smart transport in the region, especially along indicative extensions of the TEN-T road network in the Western Balkans.
This Technical Assistance (TA) will be composed of two components, with the specific objectives to
- Component 1 -Impact assessment and cost effectiveness analysis of the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy for the Western Balkans, and
- Component 2 -Strategic framework for deployment of e-charging infrastructure in the Western Balkans
The following results are expected to be achieved within the TA’s Components:
Component 1
- Analysis of the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy in the Western Balkans roadmap and assess which actions have direct impact and are quantifiable and which are complementary
- Baseline Scenario
- Development of different impact scenarios
- Preparation of Action Plans and national targets for each Regional Party
Component 2
- Assessment of the current state of play/plans for deployment of e-charging stations along the extension of the TEN-T network in the Western Balkans
- Proposal for the e-charging infrastructure needed on the TEN-T network in the Western Balkans to boost electric vehicle demand up to 2030, 2040, 2050
- Identification of the potential contractual/business models (public, private, public-private partnership) for each Regional Partner for the deployment of e-charging infrastructure
- Preparation of a Roadmap for each Regional Partner for extending the e-charging stations on the TEN-T Road Core/Comprehensive network in the Western Balkans
The assignment is expected to last 15 months.
***
Additional information on the assignment can be obtained by contacting Giorgos Xanthakos, CONNECTA Deputy Team Leader, at giorgos.xanthakos@connecta-ta.eu.