site.btaBulgarian, Serbian Customs Administrations Sign Memorandum of Understanding

Bulgarian Customs Agency Director Georgi Dimov and Serbia's Customs Administration Director Dragisa Petrovic signed a memorandum of understanding on electronic data exchange through the SEED+ system on Wednesday, the Customs Agency said. The agreement is part of the EU-CEFTA Green Lanes initiative, coordinated by the Central European Free Trade Agreement and the Transport Community organization.

During the ceremony, Dimov stressed the strategic importance of the EU-Western Balkans transit agreement. “For Bulgaria, as an EU Member State, this memorandum of understanding is a powerful tool for more efficient management of the flow of goods. By introducing advanced data exchange with Serbia, we are not only accelerating transport but also strengthening the security of our crossings through precise risk analysis,” he said.

Petrovic highlighted the numerous benefits of this form of cooperation with neighbouring 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, CEFTA Secretariat Director Pranvera Kastrati stressed the importance of continuous cooperation within the initiative by saying that the agreement builds a “digital bridge” that accelerates the path of products to the EU single market. The memorandum envisages 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 supporting trade facilitation between the EU and the Western Balkans. It combines the modernization of border crossing points, the digitalization of procedures and enhanced cooperation between administrations to ensure faster, more transparent and predictable movement of goods.

In December 2025, Dimov signed a similar memorandum with the Customs Administration of the Republic of North Macedonia.

The signing of the memorandum of understanding with Serbia is part of the meeting of the Green Lanes Steering Committee and the 21st meeting of the Transport Community's Technical Committee on Transport Facilitation, as well as an operational meeting regarding the implementation of the SEED+ system, taking place in Bulgaria on March 10 and 11.