BSEC-URTA Successfully Held Its 47th General Assembly in Thessaloniki
The 47th Meeting of the BSEC-URTA General Assembly was successfully held on 22 May 2026 in Thessaloniki, Greece, hosted by OFAE within the framework of the BSEC-URTA Spring Events.
The General Assembly brought together high-level representatives from international organizations, public authorities and the international road transport sector, including the Secretary General of the BSEC Organization H.E. Ambassador Lazar Comanescu, Deputy Secretary General of PABSEC Ms. Valentina-Antoaneta Cobzareanu, Secretary General of ITF Dr. Young Tae Kim and the ITF delegation, IRU President Mr. Radu Dinescu, IRU Secretary General Mr. Umberto De Pretto, representatives of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure of Türkiye, BSTDB, ESPORG and member associations from across the BSEC region.
During the meeting, participants discussed key challenges affecting international road transport, including:
- Schengen visa and Entry/Exit System (EES) challenges for professional drivers,
- border crossing delays and operational barriers,
- digitalization of transport documents,
- development of the Middle Corridor,
- safe and secure truck parking areas,
- passenger transport connectivity,
- and regional transport facilitation initiatives.
One of the most important themes of the General Assembly was digitalization in international road transport. In this context, the participation and valuable contributions of ITF Secretary General Dr. Young Tae Kim and the ITF delegation significantly enriched discussions regarding the future of digital transport systems, smart logistics and international connectivity.
The discussions once again highlighted a critical question for all countries and transport administrations:
“When will international road transport fully enter the digital era, and when will countries agree to make TIR fully digital?”
Participants emphasized that digitalization of transport documents, border procedures and logistics systems is no longer an option but a strategic necessity for the future of global trade and supply chains.
The General Assembly also emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation with international organizations such as IRU, UNECE, ITF, ESPORG and BSEC PERMIS in order to improve connectivity, sustainability and operational efficiency throughout the Black Sea region and beyond.
The General Assembly additionally approved the BSEC-URTA Priorities for 2026, reviewed ongoing digitalization projects including eTIR, eCMR and ePermit initiatives, and decided to hold the 48th Meeting of the BSEC-URTA General Assembly together with the 25th Anniversary of BSEC-URTA in Türkiye during autumn 2026.
The BSEC-URTA family was also pleased to welcome two new Associate Members during the General Assembly. One of the new members, CC Logistics Co. from Greece, is an important logistics and customs solutions provider offering valuable operational support and customs partnership opportunities for transport operators across the BSEC region.
The second new member, the International Association of Transport Law East-West (IATL), will contribute significant expertise in the field of transport law. As international transport operations increasingly require legal knowledge and protection of operators’ rights, BSEC-URTA highly values this new cooperation and aims to continue working together to raise awareness on the importance of transport law and legal protection within the global transport industry.
BSEC-URTA would like to express its sincere gratitude and highest appreciation to OFAE, President Mr. Dimitrios Fokaidis, Secretary General Mr. Apostolos Kenanidis and the entire OFAE team for the excellent organization of the meetings and side events, as well as for the warm hospitality extended to all participants throughout the Spring Events in Thessaloniki.
