Greece, Bulgaria, and Romania have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on strengthening cross-border cooperation within the Black Sea – Aegean Sea Corridor Platform (BACP). The document was created to accelerate the implementation of key transport infrastructure projects in the region, including rail, road, inland waterways, ports, and multimodal terminals.
The Platform aims to support transport cohesion, sustainable development, digitalization, and infrastructure resilience to climate change. The Memorandum provides for political and technical coordination, regulatory harmonization, joint investment planning, and monitoring the progress of cross-border projects.
The signing of the document establishes a framework for political and strategic cooperation among the three countries. Under BACP, an Action Plan and a Joint Investment Strategy will be prepared, covering priority infrastructure projects, including dual-use facilities of both civilian and military significance.
The Platform will be coordinated by the High-Level BACP, composed of the transport ministers of the three countries, supported by European coordinators and EU institutions. Technical and project activities will be carried out by working groups and thematic subgroups, addressing areas such as infrastructure planning, financing, innovation, digitalization, and military mobility.
The Memorandum is political in nature and not legally binding, but it sets the direction for cooperation in the coming years, including the prioritization of cross-border projects and the harmonization of technical standards in accordance with TEN-T regulations.
BACP covers multimodal transport links (rail, roads, inland waterways, ports, airports, multimodal terminals, bridges, and urban hubs) along three axes:
Western Axis: Athens – Thessaloniki – Promachonas (EL) – Kulata – Sofia (BG) – Vidin/Calafat – Craiova – Bucharest (RO)
Central Axis: Thessaloniki/Alexandroupoli – Ormenio (EL) – Svilengrad – Ruse (BG) – Giurgiu – Bucharest (RO) – Siret (RO/UA), Ungheni (RO/MD)
Eastern Axis: Alexandroupoli – Ormenio (EL) – Svilengrad – Stara Zagora – Burgas/Varna (BG) – Constanța (RO)
Thanks to BACP, the Black Sea and Aegean Sea region is set to gain a modern, interoperable, and climate-resilient transport network that will improve mobility for citizens, facilitate trade, and strengthen the strategic position of Southeastern Europe.
