BSEC-URTA’s New Management Council Plans for 2025
The new Management Council of BSEC-URTA held its inaugural meeting on February 3, 2025. During this meeting, the BSEC-URTA International Secretariat and Management Council members outlined their priorities and established an action plan to be implemented by 2025.
In its 65th Meeting, the Management Council evaluated the current status and future of the BSEC Permit. In 2025, BSEC-URTA will develop a sample for the BSEC Multi-entry Permit, which will be submitted for consideration and approval by the BSEC Permit member countries.
To facilitate this process, the Management Council directed the International Secretariat to prepare the BSEC Multi-entry Permit. Furthermore, the Council encouraged the BSEC-URTA International Secretariat to create electronic road permits that could be utilized in the BSEC region. This initiative will benefit from the ongoing collaboration with the Turkish Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure.
The Management Council is committed to expanding the geographical coverage of the BSEC Permit by engaging in discussions with Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, and Greece to connect the missing geographical links within the BSEC logistic chain.
Another crucial agenda item was addressing delays and challenges at BSEC border crossing points. The Council aims to promote successful border crossing practices in the BSEC region and beyond. It plans to actively showcase the examples set by BSEC-URTA, particularly the One Stop Shop model, at border crossing points. The Council will also collaborate with the BSEC-URTA Border Crossings Working Party to gather and share information on border crossings experiencing significant difficulties.
The Management Council and the International Secretariat are focusing on the activities of the BSEC-URTA Digital Working Party. They have identified the e-CMR and digitalization of CEMT documents as primary topics for discussion. Additionally, they noted a request from TOBB-UND to present on “Digital AI in Custom Procedures” at the Digital Working Party.
The Management Council will continue to address Schengen Visa issues, including the allowable stay durations for non-EU drivers within the Schengen Area. Initiatives in cooperation with the European Parliament have already begun.
The Management Council has also decided to establish a BSEC-URTA Women’s Working Group, featuring successful female leaders from the BSEC-URTA community. This group aims to support the increase of women in the workforce and to highlight their potential within the logistics and driving profession.
The final decision made by the BSEC-URTA Management Council was to confirm the date for the upcoming BSEC-URTA General Assembly. Thanks to the exceptional hosting and planning by AITA, BSEC-URTA members will visit Leuseni Customs—recognized as a best practice for customs operations in the BSEC region on May 15, 2025. This visit will include discussions on Coordinated Controls and Green Line TIR applications between EU and non-EU Countries, specifically Romania and Moldova. The BSEC-URTA General Assembly will take place on May 16, 2025 in Kishinev, Moldova.
The BSEC-URTA International Secretariat extends sincere gratitude to the members of the BSEC-URTA Management Council, IRU Secretary General Mr. Umberto De Pretto for his ongoing support in logistics, and TOBB-UND for their outstanding hosting of the BSEC-URTA Management Council Members.
