As part of the ongoing efforts to modernize border crossings and facilitate trade, today, 11.03.2026, the Director of the Customs Agency, Mr. Georgi Dimov, and the Director of the Customs Administration of the Republic of Serbia, Mr. Dragisa Petrovic, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on electronic data exchange through the SEED+ system. The agreement is part of the Green Belts initiative. between the European Union and the countries of the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA), coordinated by the CEFTA and Transport Community (TCT) secretariats.
The signing, which took place in the presence of representatives of the CEFTA and Transport Community secretariats, marks an important step towards strengthening operational cooperation between customs administrations and achieving progress in the digital integration of CEFTA with the EU.
During the ceremony, Georgi Dimov, Director of the Customs Agency, stressed the strategic importance of the transit agreement between the Western Balkans and the EU: “For Bulgaria, as a member state of the EU, this Memorandum of Understanding is a powerful tool for more effective management of the flow of goods. By introducing advanced data exchange with Serbia, we are not only speeding up transport, but also strengthening the security of our crossings through precise risk analysis.“
Mr. Dragiša Petrović, Acting Director General of the Customs Administration of the Republic of Serbia, highlighted the numerous benefits of this form of cooperation with neighboring customs administrations: “The business community will be able to count on faster, more transparent and predictable movement of goods, while border agencies will be able to focus on effective controls that protect the safety of citizens and legitimate trade.“
During the signing ceremony, Ms. Pranvera Kastrati, Director of the CEFTA Secretariat, stressed the importance of continuous cooperation within the initiative: “With each new signature, the “Green Belts“ become stronger and wider. Today's agreement between Bulgaria and Serbia is a direct response to the needs of businesses for greater speed and security. We are building a digital bridge that accelerates the path of our products to the EU single market.“
The Memorandum provides for the alignment of operational procedures between the customs administrations of Bulgaria and Serbia. Within the framework of the structured data exchange through SEED+, the two administrations will improve the coordination of controls, support risk-based checks and facilitate a smoother movement of goods.
The “Green Lanes“ initiative is one of the key instruments in support of trade facilitation between the Western Balkans and the European Union. It combines modernization of border crossing points, digitalization of procedures and enhanced cooperation between administrations to ensure faster, transparent and predictable movement of goods.
In December 2025, the Director of the Customs Agency signed a similar memorandum with the Customs Administration of the Republic of North Macedonia.
The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with the Republic of Serbia is part of the meeting of the Green Belt Steering Committee and the 21st meeting of the Transport Community Technical Committee for Transport Facilitation, as well as an operational meeting in connection with the implementation of the SEED+ system, taking place in Bulgaria on March 10 and 11, 2026.