Mehmet Uylukcu Addresses Sector Challenges and Insights at PABSEC General Assembly
An esteemed and valuable partner of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC), BSEC-URTA participated in the 64th General Assembly held in Yerevan from December 10 to 12, 2024.
As a proud collaborator, BSEC-URTA Secretary General Mehmet Uylukcu was invited to share insights about the organization’s activities with parliamentarians from BSEC member states.
Uylukcu emphasized the critical importance of logistics in the BSEC region and expressed concerns over the increasing barriers that impede the effective functioning of supply chains. He noted several challenges, including bureaucratic visa procedures, restrictions on road permits, and lengthy border-crossing times.
He highlighted that, prior to the pandemic, trucks would sometimes wait hours at borders; however, it now often takes days or even weeks, leading to severe difficulties, particularly at EU external borders.
In his remarks regarding BSEC-URTA’s activities in 2024, Uylukcu noted the organization’s efforts to promote best practices, including the flourishing One Stop Shop Initiative in Albania, Moldova, North Macedonia, Ukraine, Romania, and Serbia. He also mentioned plans for the future implementation of the One Stop Shop in Greece, as well as the introduction of Green Lanes and faster passage protocols in Moldova, Ukraine, and Romania for transporters, which involves pre-declaration for other BSEC countries to adopt.
Uylukcu highlighted the progress of the BSEC permit system, which is evolving through the joint efforts of BSEC-URTA and BSEC PERMIS. He indicated that Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, and Greece are expected to join this initiative soon.
BSEC-URTA is also making strides in the digitalization of transport documents, such as CMRs and permits, through its Digitalization Working Party. Uylukcu congratulated Armenia for signing the e-CMR protocol and urged other countries to enhance their digitalization efforts.
Furthermore, Uylukcu pointed out a significant issue within the BSEC region: visa limitations imposed on international road transport drivers. He cautioned that if these issues are not addressed through a global initiative by countries and international organizations, it could have detrimental effects on BSEC economies. He mentioned that the BSEC-URTA Management Council convened in Istanbul specifically to discuss actionable solutions to the drivers’ visa problem. He extended special thanks to BSEC PERMIS Secretary General Ambassador Comanescu for participating in that meeting.
Uylukcu reiterated that BSEC-URTA will continue to tackle the critical challenges faced by the international road transport sector but emphasized the necessity of political support from policymakers. He urged for reforms regarding drivers’ visas, modernization of border crossing processes, and facilitation of transit.
Finally, Uylukcu expressed gratitude to Armenia, not only for its exceptional hosting of the assembly but also for its participation in the BSEC permit system and its contributions to the development of logistics in the BSEC region.
