29-01-2025
New section of railway in North Macedonia towards the Bulgarian border is now operational
An important link on rail corridor VIII, the route between Kumanovo and Beljakovce was inaugurated in January ...
The Western Balkans economies have set connectivity to the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), implementation of EU reforms and technical standards, and the promotion of multimodal transport solutions as priorities for their transport sector development. Investments in sustainable transport modes will contribute significantly to national and regional economic growth and competitiveness as well as to the mobility of people, bringing increased user benefits, regional cooperation, and integration with the EU.
The Economic and Investment Plan (EIP) provides a substantial investment package for sustainable transport infrastructure. The projects supported by the WBIF follow the priorities of the Plan. Key areas of intervention are (i) rehabilitation and construction of resilient and smart transport infrastructure, especially rail; (ii) deployment of digital technologies; (iii) implementation of urban rapid transit systems, green multimodal solutions, and investments that facilitate cross-border mobility.
Sustainable transport is the most active intervention area of WBIF, accounting for 70% of the total WBIF grants and 56% of the project portfolio in the public sector. The rail and road sectors are primary funding beneficiaries.
Overall, sustainable transport benefitted from 23 EIP flagship investments in 2020-2024, which directed €6.3 billion towards rail, road and water transport investments. The WBIF contributed €2.1 billion in EU IPA grants to these investments. The EIP flagship investments endorsed in 2020-2024 contribute to completing major connections on the indicative extension of the TEN-T core and extended core networks into the Western Balkans, which are of strategic interest to the region and the EU. They speed up the construction of new transport infrastructure and upgrade roads, railways, and waterways to bring the region’s network up to EU standards. To drive regional cooperation and integration, connecting capitals in the region and with the EU is a primary objective of these investments, as well as enabling multimodal transport solutions and modal shift to reduce the transport’s impact on the environment in line with the Guidelines for the Implementation of the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans.
29-01-2025
An important link on rail corridor VIII, the route between Kumanovo and Beljakovce was inaugurated in January ...
13-01-2025
Kriva Palanka – Dlabochica – Stracin route is now open for traffic.
04-10-2024
Work on Lot 3 of the EU-funded Brčko Port modernization began on 30 September and will finish by March 2025.
The EU will prioritise projects and programmes on the indicative extension of the TEN-T core network which are of strategic interest to the region and to the EU. Action will be taken to speed up construction of new transport infrastructure and the upgrading of existing infrastructure, with the objective of bringing the core transport network up to EU standards. To further spur regional cooperation and integration, connecting capitals in the region and with the EU will be an important priority, as well as promotion of multimodal transport solutions and modal shift, and reducing transport related pollution.
The projects supported by WBIF follow the priorities of the Economic and Investment Plan, identified as Flagship 1 - Connecting East to West, Flagship 2 - Connecting North to South and Flagship 3 - Connecting the Coastal Areas.
Read MorePrioritise projects on the indicative extension of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T).
Support the creation of a fully integrated regional transport market based on the EU legislation and standards
Connect the partners through the integration of sustainable and smart elements in road transport.
2008-2023
2024-2030
TRANSPORT COMMUNITYThe Transport Community is an international organisation in the field of mobility and transport, consisting of 33 participants – the entire EU and the six Western Balkans regional partners. We are working on the integration of Western Balkans’ transport markets into the EU, by assisting the six Western Balkans partners to adopt and implement the EU legislation in the field of transport and by supporting projects that are connecting Western Balkans regional partners among themselves and with the EU.
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CONNECTIVITY AGENDAIn 2015, the European Commission set aside up to €1 billion in grants until 2020, from the EU Pre-Accession Instrument, to support the connectivity agenda. In November 2020 at the summit in Sofia, the Western Balkan leaders welcomed the 2020 connectivity package with six projects in the areas of sustainable transport and clean energy. This package completes the delivery of the EU’s 2015 pledge, while at the same time constitutes the first step towards the implementation of the flagship projects of the Economic and Investment Plan.
Read More21-10-2024
Corridor factsheets updates October 2024
