Transport Community Treaty

The Transport Community Treaty, signed in 2017 and in force since 2019, established a legal framework between the European Union and the Western Balkans Six (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia) to develop an integrated transport market based on progressive alignment with EU transport legislation. The Treaty is implemented through the Transport Community Permanent Secretariat, based in Belgrade.

Through Annex I, which incorporates relevant EU legislation on road, rail, inland waterway and maritime transport, as well as horizontal issues including market access, safety, interoperability and sustainability, the Treaty establishes a structured pathway for regulatory convergence. Decisions of the Regional Steering Committee and the Ministerial Council can update the acquis incorporated in Annex I, ensuring continued alignment with evolving EU transport policy. In the WB6, the applicability of EU sustainable transport policies is grounded in the Transport Community Treaty, which provides the legal and institutional basis for progressive alignment with the EU transport acquis.