Following the full integration of Romania and Bulgaria into the Schengen area, both countries have significantly strengthened their positions as key transit and logistics hubs of South-Eastern Europe.
According to sea-news.az citing the Romanian publication Economedia, that the abolition of controls at internal land borders, which entered into force on January 1, 2025, has removed major barriers to cargo transportation in the direction of Central Europe, the Black Sea basin, and Turkey.
As a result, carriers’ monthly waiting times at borders have dropped from 40 hours to 10–15 hours, which, alongside shortening delivery times, has also noticeably reduced transportation costs. The Romanian cities of Arad, Oradea, and Timișoara have come to the forefront as new logistics hubs.
In particular, the importance of the Port of Constanța, which acts as a strategic gateway in the Black Sea for cargo heading from Asia and the Caucasus to Europe, has further increased. Despite challenges such as infrastructure repairs and driver shortages, experts emphasize that this step will turn the region into a leading logistics hub between Europe and the South Caucasus in the coming years.
