The “3rd High-Level Conference of Directors-General of Customs” of the Western Balkans and European Union member states was co-organized today, Thursday, in Athens by the Independent Authority for Public Revenue, in cooperation with the CEFTA Secretariat, through the SEED+ initiative, and the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community.
The conference, titled “Bridging Markets, Aligning Standards: Green Lanes as a Pillar of Enhanced Integration into the EU Single Market,” focused on green and blue lanes, data exchange, system interoperability, and the strengthening of customs cooperation, as practical tools for safer, faster, and more predictable trade flows between the Western Balkans and the EU single market.
The Director General of the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (IAPR), George Pitsilis, stated:
“This conference highlights the strategic importance of customs cooperation for the stability of the region, economic resilience, and the European perspective of the Western Balkans. In today’s environment, customs administrations are not merely border authorities. They are critical institutions for protecting public revenue, facilitating legitimate trade, ensuring the security of supply chains, and aligning with European standards.
For Greece and the Independent Authority for Public Revenue, this cooperation is both a responsibility and a strategic priority. Through initiatives such as green lanes, the exchange of information prior to the arrival of goods, system interoperability, and alignment with European Union standards, we are strengthening trust in practice and creating the conditions for a more interconnected, secure, and efficient customs environment.”
During the proceedings, the heads of customs administrations, together with high-ranking officials from the European Union, CEFTA, and the Transport Community, assessed the progress achieved and reaffirmed the need to further strengthen cooperation, with an emphasis on interoperability, real-time data exchange, coordinated risk management, and alignment with EU customs standards.
The Athens conference reaffirmed the participants’ shared commitment to further implementing the green and blue lanes, through SEED+, as tools to enhance connectivity, reducing barriers, and promoting the gradual operational integration of the Western Balkans into the European Union’s single market.