Central European Free Trade Agreement

This week in Budapest, CEFTA and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) held a high-level meeting to advance shared priorities in food safety, trade facilitation and regional integration. Discussions focused on strengthening food quality and safety frameworks, enhancing trade transparency and efficiency, and advancing regional harmonisation in line with European Union standards. Director @Pran_Kastrati and Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Europe and Central Asia @ViorelGutu, elaborated possibilities for enhanced collaboration in the areas of priority importance for CEFTA with particular focus on subsidies reporting and food safety following EU models. Through continued technical cooperation and targeted capacity-building, CEFTA and FAO remain committed to supporting more efficient, predictable and resilient agri-food trade systems across the region. #CEFTA #FAO #TradeFacilitation #FoodSafety #RegionalIntegration #EUAlignment

The CEFTA Veterinary Working Group meeting in Skopje confirmed strong progress in digital trade. In 2025, over 42,000 veterinary certificates were exchanged through CEFTA TRACES NT (up from ~16,000 in 2024), with the system now embedded in daily operations across administrations. The impact is tangible: faster procedures, up to 70% efficiency gains for inspectors, and cost savings for businesses. Discussions over the past two days focused on next steps: advancing a unified Notification System aligned with EU standards, and moving towards fully paperless trade with a few pilots. A clear signal that digitalisation is delivering—and accelerating. #CEFTA #SEEDPlus #DigitalTrade #TradeFacilitation #CEFTATRACES

A very productive discussion in Budapest on the rollout of CEFTA SEED and the implementation of Green Lanes, marking another important step towards faster, more predictable trade and closer integration between CEFTA and the EU. The discussions confirmed a strong and shared commitment to advancing SEED implementation, strengthening data exchange, and improving risk management. A big thank you to our Hungarian partners for the excellent organisation and continued support. #CEFTA #SEED #GreenLanes #TradeFacilitation #CustomsCooperation #EUIntegration

Only 10 Days Left: CEFTA Jobs Closing Soon! CEFTA Secretariat's open positions in Brussels close on 12 April 2026 at 23:59 CET → just 10 days from now. Don't miss your chance to join our team as a Trade Expert, Trade Officer, Trade Expert (Services), Procurement Officer, Finance Officer, or Head of Administration. These full-time roles offer competitive salaries, benefits, telework options, and contracts up to 3 years. Apply today: Full details and online form at cefta.int/vacancies/ #CEFTA #Hiring #TradeJobs #BrusselsJobs #RegionalIntegration #Careers #WesternBalkans

From Sofia to Athens → Delivering on Green Lanes commitments 🤝 Today’s technical meeting in Athens on the implementation of the Green Lanes MoU between Greece and Albania marks a concrete step toward faster and more predictable crossings. By advancing real-time data exchange through SEED+ and strengthening coordination between administrations, clear next steps were defined to accelerate implementation and enhance WB–EU connectivity. #CEFTA #GreenLanes #SEED #TradeFacilitation #CustomsCooperation

📍 Today in Brussels, CEFTA Secretariat took part in the BiH-Benelux Business Forum, organised by the Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Belgium and Luxembourg and the Foreign Trade Chamber of Bosnia and Herzegovina. 💬 Strengthening dialogue with the private sector is central to CEFTA's mission. Forums like these are our reality check: they help us understand what is delivering results for businesses and where we need to improve. 🔎 Director @Pran_Kastrati presented CEFTA's core activities that have a direct impact on businesses operating across CEFTA, from Green Lanes through the electronic exchange of certificates, to AEO programs and recognition of e-signatures, highlighting practical steps that can make trade procedures faster, more predictable and more efficient. Every step taken in CEFTA brings businesses closer to operating under EU Single Market conditions. Events like this Forum help connect businesses, build partnerships and turn cooperation into concrete commercial opportunities. 🤝 We thank Ambassador @erolavdo and the Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Belgium and Luxembourg and the Foreign Trade Chamber of Bosnia and Herzegovina for the excellent organisation and for bringing this Forum to life. #CEFTA #TradeFacilitation #GreenLanes #EUIntegration

Day 2 in beautiful Ohrid wrapped up productively! Expert’s discussions on RASFF/TRACES notification systems with CEFTA Parties and DG SANTE. Strengthening intra-CEFTA cooperation on phytosanitary issues and food and feed safety through: → Rapid information exchange → Cooperation protocols at crossings → Harmonized notification procedures Building a safer food chain together, reducing paperwork, ensuring compliance with international health/safety rules 🤝 #CEFTA #TracesNT #ePhyto #RegionalCooperation #EC

Hello from Ohrid! A great start to our meeting with Phytosanitary Institutions — a day focused on progress, collaboration, and moving forward together. So, what did Day 1 bring? ✅ Looking back to move forward: We revisited 2025 activities to ensure continuity and keep momentum across all objectives. ✅ Status check: Each CEFTA Party shared where they stand with TRACES NT — from issuing certificates to pulling data for entry documents. Why does this matter? Because stronger data exchange is the foundation for better coordination, faster procedures, and a more connected approach to phytosanitary controls across CEFTA. Through SEED+, digital cooperation is no longer just a technical upgrade — it is becoming a practical, day-to-day tool that helps make trade procedures more efficient, more transparent, and better aligned across CEFTA. More to come — stay tuned! 🚀

Today in Podgorica: CEFTA Secretariat presented 2026 priorities, focusing on private sector partnership for real results. Opened by Igor Vučinić (Montenegro Ministry Acting DG & CEFTA Services Chair), Bernard Brunet (EU Delegation), Director @Pran_Kastrati & @NDrakic (Montenegro Chamber of Commerce President). 💬 Core topics: Faster goods movement, paperless trade, digital trade, services/mobility improvements & Green Lanes expansion. 🎯 Business priorities: Simplify, accelerate, maximize impact. Thanks @WB6CIF for private sector voice! #CEFTA #CEFTA2026 #WB6CIF #CommonRegionalMarket #GrowthPlan #GreenLanes #PaperlessTrade

Our next stop: Tirana! The CEFTA Secretariat presented its 2026 priorities & work programme to public institutions and private sector reps. Opened by Minister @DelinaIbrahimaj , @Inesmucostepa (Union of Chambers of Albania President) & Secretariat @Pran_Kastrati. 💬 Key focus: Faster goods movement, paperless procedures, digital trade, pro mobility, services improvements & Green Lanes expansion. Grateful to @WB6CIF for amplifying private sector voices! 🤝Dynamic discussions yielded concrete feedback on priorities, challenges & impact. #CEFTA #CEFTA2026 #CommonRegionalMarket #GrowthPlan #GreenLanes #PaperlessTrade

🌟 New Open Positions at CEFTA Secretariat in Brussels! 🌟 Join CEFTA team now. We're hiring talented professionals for several roles including: → Trade Expert → Trade Officer → Trade Expert (Services) → Procurement Officer → Finance Officer → Head of Administration These full-time positions offer competitive salaries, benefits, telework options, and fixed-term contracts up to 3 years. Apply by 12 April 2026 at 23:59 CET. Don't miss this opportunity! 🔗 Full details & applications: cefta.int/vacancies/ #CEFTA #Hiring #TradeJobs #BrusselsJobs #RegionalIntegration #Careers #WesternBalkans

📍 Today in Pristina, the CEFTA Secretariat presented its 2026 priorities and work programmes to a broad audience of representatives of the administration and the private sector. 💬 The presentation focused on the priorities that matter most for businesses in practice, from faster movement of goods and paperless procedures to digital trade, mobility of professionals and better conditions for services. 🤝 It was a dynamic and valuable exchange, with concrete feedback on priorities, implementation needs and the practical impact of CEFTA’s work on the ground. 🎯 This is exactly why we brought the 2026 agenda directly to those it is built to serve, and the direct feedback was essential in informing how to proceed and deliver on the priorities ahead. #CEFTA #CEFTA2026 #CommonRegionalMarket #GreenLanes

Prep Meeting Wraps in Sofia! Macedonian, Serbian and Bulgarian Customs, together with the SEED+ team, wrapped up a productive session on the SEED+ Green Lanes implementation. Following the signing and handshakes, preparations for implementation begin — turning commitments into concrete steps for faster and more efficient trade. Big thanks to our Bulgarian colleagues for hosting — fantastic teamwork driving trade facilitation across the region! #SEEDPlus #CEFTA #GreenLanes #TradeFacilitation

Key step for trade between CEFTA and the EU!👏 𝙏𝙤𝙙𝙖𝙮, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙪𝙡𝙜𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙎𝙚𝙧𝙗𝙞𝙖𝙣 𝘾𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙢𝙨 𝘼𝙙𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙖 𝙈𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙪𝙢 𝙤𝙛 𝙐𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙣 𝙎𝙀𝙀𝘿+ 𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙘 𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙖 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 — 𝙖 𝙠𝙚𝙮 𝙙𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙀𝙐–𝘾𝙀𝙁𝙏𝘼 𝙂𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙇𝙖𝙣𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚. This milestone will support faster goods flow, smarter risk analysis, and improved coordination of customs procedures. As @Pran_Kastrati , Director of the CEFTA Secretariat, highlighted: “We're building a digital bridge to the EU Single Market.” Cuts wait times (3hrs = 2% tariff cut), boosts trade flow & EU alignment. Read the full news here 👉 cutt.ly/0tT8Al7r #CEFTA #EU

Key highlights: → 10 MoUs signed advancing cooperation across the region; → Improved SEED+ data exchange, monitoring of waiting times, alignment of procedures and agencies’ working hours at crossings; → Modernisation of crossings, infrastructure upgrades, and financing opportunities; These efforts are already delivering results: faster processing, reduced waiting times, better risk management, and fewer delays at crossings. Strong cooperation continues to bring us closer to a more connected and efficient trade environment between CEFTA and the EU. 👏 #GreenLanes #CEFTA #SEEDplus #TradeFacilitation #DigitalTransformation #Connectivity #WesternBalkans #EUIntegration

Today in Sofia, the #GreenLanes Steering Committee Meeting concluded successfully. Key stakeholders from the @EU_Commission , CEFTA, the @EUWB6_TCT Community, CEFTA Parties, and EU Member State administrations came together to define the next steps toward faster and more efficient movement of goods within CEFTA and between CEFTA and the EU. 🚛💨

Happy International Women's Day!

Call for Tender Open! CEFTA has published the tender dossier “Travel and Event Organisation” with reference CEFTA 2026-03 (Lot 1) and CEFTA 2026-04 (Lot 2). We invite qualified service providers with proven experience in travel management and event organisation to submit their offers. 🗓 Deadline to apply: 30 March 2026 at 16:00 (CET) 📄 Full tender documentation available here #tabs-2" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">cefta.int/tenders/#tabs-2 #CEFTA #Tender #PublicCall #TravelManagement #EventOrganisation #Procurement #EUIntegration