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CENTRAL ASIA ADVANCES REGIONAL TRANSPORT CONNECTIVITY AND REGULATORY HARMONISATION

12.10.2026
Tashkent
Press and information team of the Delegation to KAZAKHSTAN

On 6–7 October 2026, representatives from Central Asian countries and regional and international partner organizations came together in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, for the workshop “Strengthening Transport Connectivity and Competitiveness in SPECA Region: Advancing Regulatory Harmonization and Transport Facilitation.”

SPECA
© EUDELKZ

Organized by the Regional Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor Capacity Development programme, implemented by GIZ and Expertise France and co-financed by the European Union as well as the German and French Government, in cooperation with UNECE, the two-day workshop continued the regional dialogue on transport, transit and trade facilitation.

‘This important regional dialogue takes place in the context of the development of the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor (TCTC), a strategic priority for the European Union and Central Asian governments. We see that bottlenecks along this Corridor persist, and stronger regional cooperation, including on harmonisation of different trade and transport documents, is crucial for making this route reliable. It is encouraging to see how the European Union, Germany and France, working in a Team Europe approach, are able to support Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan in their better collaboration on building better and more efficient transport routes across Central Asia,’ highlighted Christos Marazopoulos, Head of Cooperation at the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Uzbekistan.

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EUDELKZ

The discussions brought together national representatives and experts to address key issues affecting regional transport connectivity and competitiveness, including:

  • Unified Railway Law (URL) and international rail transport

  • Dangerous goods transport and ADR

  • Harmonization of vehicle weight and dimensions

  • Facilitation of international maritime transport

  • Regional cooperation and the Action Plan of the Regional Working Group on Transport and Transit.

The workshop also provided an important platform for sharing national experiences and strengthening cooperation among countries of the SPECA region, with discussions highlighting the importance of coordinated approaches, regulatory harmonization and practical capacity building in supporting more efficient and predictable transport corridors.

The exchange demonstrated once again that stronger regional cooperation and alignment with international transport standards are essential to implementing the full potential of Central Asia’s role in international trade and transit.

The outcomes and discussions from the workshop will contribute to the continued regional work on transport facilitation, regulatory harmonization and the development of more efficient and competitive transport connections across Central Asia.