The Ministry of Communications and Transport of Bosnia and Herzegovina has launched a public consultation on draft amendments and supplements to the Treaty establishing the Transport Community. The consultation was published on 26 May 2026 on the eConsultations portal and concerns all participants in road, rail, maritime and inland waterway transport across the Western Balkans and the European Union. The aim of the revision is to align treaty provisions with current EU legislation, strengthen transport market integration, and extend membership to Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova.
What Is Changing in the Transport Community Treaty
The Treaty establishing the Transport Community was signed in 2017 between the European Union and six Western Balkan countries — the Republic of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, the Republic of Serbia, and Kosovo. Signing on behalf of BiH was carried out on the basis of a Decision by the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Ratification Decision was published in the "Official Gazette of BiH — International Agreements" No. 4/18 (Source: eConsultations). The Treaty entered into force on 1 May 2019.
Article 42 of the Treaty establishing the Transport Community expressly provides for the obligation to review the Treaty five years after its entry into force. The original text of Article 42, entitled "Review", reads: "This Treaty shall be reviewed at the request of any Contracting Party and at any event five years after its entry into force" (Source: EUR-Lex, Treaty establishing the Transport Community). Given that the Treaty entered into force on 1 May 2019, the five-year deadline for the mandatory review expired on 1 May 2024.
The European Union officially initiated the revision process of the Transport Community Treaty. According to information published on the eConsultations portal, in January 2024 the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community, at the request of the European Commission, established an informal working group for a preliminary assessment of the current implementation of the Treaty and identification of potential areas for improving its text (Source: eConsultations). Representatives of all Treaty signatories, including those from Bosnia and Herzegovina, participated in the work of this group.
The draft amendments encompass two fundamental objectives. The first is alignment with European Union legislation — namely, aligning all contracting parties with the relevant EU legal acquis and achieving closer integration of transport markets in view of the European perspective of each signatory country. The second objective is ensuring full membership of Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova in the Transport Community, thereby extending the Treaty's geographical scope to new members (Source: eConsultations).
Who Is Affected
The revision of the Treaty establishing the Transport Community directly affects a wide range of transport participants in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Treaty covers four transport modes — road, rail, maritime, and inland waterway — meaning that amendments may impact:
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Professional drivers and hauliers engaged in international road transport between BiH and EU member states. Harmonisation of the legal framework with the EU acquis may bring changes regarding international transport permits, technical vehicle standards, and social policy rules in transport.
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Motor vehicle owners who cross borders with Transport Community member states. The Treaty envisages alignment of technical standards, interoperability, safety and traffic management, which may affect requirements for vehicle inspections, registration, and insurance for cross-border traffic.
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Transport companies and road carriers operating on routes to Western Balkan and EU countries. Under Article 1 of the Treaty, the objective of the Transport Community is "the creation of a Transport Community in the field of road, rail, inland waterway and maritime transport, as well as the development of the transport network between the European Union and the South-East European Parties" (Source: EUR-Lex, Treaty establishing the Transport Community). Liberalisation of the road transport market, which is one of the ongoing initiatives, could facilitate market access for BiH-based carriers.
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The railway sector in BiH, including the Federation of BiH Railways and Republika Srpska Railways. Harmonisation with the EU railway acquis (safety, interoperability, and licensing directives) directly relates to these operators.
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Administrative bodies and regulatory authorities responsible for implementing transport legislation — the BiH Ministry of Communications and Transport, entity-level transport ministries, and competent agencies.
Extension of membership to Ukraine and Moldova also indirectly affects BiH carriers engaged in transit or direct transport to these countries, as the same harmonised legal framework will apply to them.
Adoption Timeline
Since this is a draft still at the public consultation stage, the final date of entry into force is not yet known. The process of adopting amendments to an international treaty in BiH involves multiple steps that can take from several months to over a year. Here is an overview of the key dates and phases:
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October 2017 — The Treaty establishing the Transport Community was signed between the EU and six Western Balkan countries. Council Decision (EU) 2017/1937 of 11 July 2017 authorised the signing and provisional application of the Treaty on behalf of the European Union (Source: EUR-Lex, Council Decision (EU) 2017/1937).
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2018 — The Ratification Decision was published in the "Official Gazette of BiH — International Agreements" No. 4/18.
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1 May 2019 — The Treaty entered into force.
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January 2024 — At the request of the European Commission, the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community established an informal working group for a preliminary assessment of implementation and identification of areas for improving the Treaty text.
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May 2024 — The five-year deadline for mandatory review under Article 42 of the Treaty expired.
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2024–2026 — Period of work by the informal working group and preparation of the draft amendments. The Transport Community's Regional Steering Committee regularly reviewed transport reform progress, including road market liberalisation, intelligent transport systems, Green Lanes, and road safety.
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26 May 2026 — The BiH Ministry of Communications and Transport published the draft amendments and supplements to the Treaty on the eConsultations portal and launched the public consultation (Source: eConsultations).
After the public consultation period closes, the draft will undergo an internal harmonisation process in BiH, followed by signing at the international level by all contracting parties, and finally ratification in each signatory country. In the case of BiH, ratification is approved by the Presidency of BiH, and the ratification instrument is published in the Official Gazette of BiH.
What Vehicle Owners and Carriers Should Do
At this stage, while the draft is in the public consultation phase, there are no concrete obligations for vehicle owners or carriers. However, there are several steps that interested parties can take:
Participate in the public consultation. The eConsultations portal (ekonsultacije.gov.ba) allows registered users to take part in the consultation process and submit comments and proposals on the draft amendments. The consultation leader is Zorica Plakalović from the BiH Ministry of Communications and Transport. Transport companies, carrier associations, and other interested parties can use this opportunity to highlight specific problems or practical needs.
Monitor further developments. Given that this is an international treaty requiring ratification, a considerable period may elapse between publication of the draft and entry into force of the amendments. Carriers operating on international routes should follow announcements from the BiH Ministry of Communications and Transport and the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community (transport-community.org) to stay informed about new requirements in a timely manner.
Verify compliance with current regulations. Regardless of the draft's status, the existing Treaty establishing the Transport Community and secondary legislation deriving from it are already in force. Carriers engaged in international road transport should check whether they meet all currently applicable requirements regarding permits, technical standards, and social policy.
Prepare for possible changes in technical standards. One of the revision's objectives is "closer integration of transport markets", which may mean stricter technical standards for vehicles crossing borders. Vehicle owners planning cross-border transport should bear in mind that additional vehicle inspections or adaptations to EU standards may be required in the future.
Background and Context
The Transport Community is an international body established on the model of the Energy Community, with the aim of creating an integrated transport market between the EU and the Western Balkans. The Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community is based in Belgrade, and the organisation operates under the leadership of the Ministerial Council as its highest decision-making body and the Regional Steering Committee which provides operational direction.
Under Article 1 of the Treaty, the Transport Community is based on "the progressive integration of the transport markets of the South-East European Parties into the transport market of the European Union on the basis of the relevant acquis, including in the areas of technical standards, interoperability, safety, security, traffic management, social policy, public procurement and environmental protection, for all modes of transport other than air" (Source: EUR-Lex, Treaty establishing the Transport Community).
In practical terms, the Transport Community has so far enabled a series of reforms in the region. The Regional Steering Committee has at recent sessions reviewed the 2026–2028 Roadmap to road market liberalisation, intelligent transport systems (ITS) initiatives, electronic freight transport information (eFTI and e-Freight), the sustainable urban mobility framework, the comprehensive Green Lanes roadmap, and the safe and sustainable transport programme. It has also reviewed the 112 eCall system roadmap and the Western Balkans emergency plan, which are intended to improve accident response and enhance road safety in the region.
An important context for this revision is the upcoming Transport Investment Summit to be held in Thessaloniki (Greece) on 17–18 June 2026, bringing together decision-makers and investors with the aim of advancing transport infrastructure in the region.
The planned extension to Ukraine and Moldova is particularly significant. Both countries are in the process of EU accession and need to harmonise their transport legislation with EU standards. The Transport Community has already launched support activities for Moldova in the areas of railway safety and licensing, as well as railway company reform. Full membership of these countries in the Transport Community would expand the network of harmonised transport rules and open new opportunities for cross-border transport, but also new obligations for all signatories regarding the application of the common legal framework.
For Bosnia and Herzegovina, the process of aligning transport legislation with the EU acquis is part of the broader context of European integration. The BiH Ministry of Communications and Transport is the institution responsible for coordinating activities related to the Transport Community at the state level, including the preparation and implementation of legislative changes arising from obligations assumed under the Treaty.
What This Means for Everyday Drivers
While the draft amendments to the Transport Community Treaty primarily concern professional carriers and regulatory bodies, everyday drivers in BiH should also be aware of the potential consequences.
Harmonisation of technical standards with the EU acquis may in the future affect vehicle inspection requirements. Currently, standards applied in BiH are partially aligned with EU regulations, but full harmonisation could bring stricter requirements regarding emissions, safety equipment, and vehicle roadworthiness.
Development of the TEN-T network (Trans-European Transport Network) in the region, which is one of the key pillars of the Transport Community, directly impacts the quality of road infrastructure. The Treaty envisages development of an indicative TEN-T network extending towards the Western Balkans, which includes the territory of BiH. Better infrastructure means safer and more efficient travel for all road users.
The Green Lanes initiative, which is part of the Transport Community's ongoing activities, aims to reduce waiting times at border crossings. For drivers who regularly cross borders, this may mean shorter queues and faster procedures at crossings with Croatia, Serbia, and Montenegro.
The 112 eCall system, whose implementation has been discussed at recent Regional Steering Committee sessions, is an automatic emergency call system activated in the event of a road traffic accident. If BiH implements this system in accordance with Treaty obligations, vehicles registered in BiH could in the future be equipped with eCall devices, significantly speeding up emergency service response times in the event of an accident.
The public consultation on the eConsultations portal is open, and interested citizens and organisations can register and submit their comments on the draft amendments to the Treaty. Details about the consultation process are available on the BiH Ministry of Communications and Transport page on the eConsultations portal.
Sources
- Draft treaty on amendments and supplements to the Treaty establishing the Transport Community — eConsultations, BiH Ministry of Communications and Transport, 26.05.2026.
- Treaty establishing the Transport Community — EUR-Lex, Official Journal of the European Union, 27.10.2017.
- Council Decision (EU) 2017/1937 on the signing of the Treaty establishing the Transport Community — EUR-Lex, Council of the European Union, 11.07.2017.
- Regional Steering Committee discusses transport reforms, digitalisation and green mobility — Transport Community Permanent Secretariat, 2026.