TIRANA, June 12 – Director General of Customs Besmir Beja participated in the Third Conference of Directors General of Customs of the Western Balkans and European Union member states in Athens.
The conference focused on “Connecting Markets, Harmonising Standards: Green Lanes as a pillar of enhanced integration in the EU Single Market.” It brought together CEFTA (Central European Free Trade Agreement) customs administrations. It also included EU member states, the European Commission, the business community, and regional organisations.
In addition, the CEFTA Secretariat organised the event through SEED+ (System for Electronic Exchange of Data). The Independent Authority for Public Revenue of Greece supported it. The Transport Community Secretariat also took part.
Discussions focused on Green Lanes expansion. They also addressed customs system interoperability. Operational harmonisation followed as another topic. At the same time, participants examined digital tools for trade flows between CEFTA and the European Union.
During the second panel, Beja presented Albania’s customs modernisation experience. He also highlighted trade facilitation and regional cooperation.
Furthermore, Beja said customs cooperation functions as an economic integration mechanism. He added that it supports alignment with European Union standards.
Meanwhile, he stressed modernisation of customs processes. He also emphasised structured information exchange. Coordination between administrations enabled faster trade.
SEED+ (System for Electronic Exchange of Data) supported electronic data exchange. It improved border procedures. It also strengthened transparency.
Finally, the conference adopted a declaration on digitalisation, risk management, interoperable systems, and Green and Blue Lanes. Participants reaffirmed implementation over political commitments. The Athens meeting followed the 2025 Tirana edition organised by Albanian Customs.
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