We, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Albania, Bulgaria, Italy, North Macedonia, and Romania,

Recalling the conclusions of the First Ministerial Meeting held in Brindisi on 27 July 2023, the subsequent discussions of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Brussels in December 2025, as well as the Letter of Intent signed at the 2024 Washington Summit on the establishment of a Coordinated Military Mobility Corridor along Pan-European Corridor VIII;
Guided by the principles of the Treaties of the European Union, the EU enlargement process, the TEN-T framework, and commitments within NATO;

Reaffirming our commitment to close cooperation and good neighborly relations, and recognizing Corridor VIII as a strategic East–West axis linking the Adriatic Sea with the Black Sea, as well as an essential component of the TEN-T network contributing to stability, prosperity, and security in Southeast Europe.

STRATEGIC AND POLITICAL CONTEXT
We emphasize that Corridor VIII is of strategic importance across political, economic, and security dimensions, supporting European cohesion, fostering regional cooperation, and advancing the gradual integration of the Western Balkans into the European Union.
We underscore that the coordinated and timely implementation of Corridor VIII addresses long-standing connectivity gaps in Southeast Europe, while simultaneously enhancing the reliability, visibility, and tangible impact of the EU’s strengthened commitment to the full integration of the region into the shared European space of security, stability, and prosperity.

We emphasize that this strategic infrastructure project provides a key framework for building political trust, strengthening good-neighborly relations, and deepening people-to-people connections, particularly among the youth.

We strongly condemn Russia’s aggressive war against Ukraine and support international political and diplomatic efforts to achieve an agreement that ends the conflict, paving the way for sustainable, long-term peace and a prosperous future for Ukraine and its people.
ECONOMIC INTEGRATION AND CONNECTIVITY

We recognize the importance of regional economic integration, in line with the four freedoms of the European Union, as a key driver of sustainable growth, competitiveness, and economic convergence.

We acknowledge that the Western Balkans and the Black Sea region constitute important markets and transit zones for European and international trade.

We emphasize that Corridor VIII is a fundamental infrastructure project that facilitates trade flows, improves logistical efficiency, and strengthens regional and European supply chains. By linking upproduction capacities and labor markets, it promotes economic interdependence while simultaneously enhancing regional resilience, including during times of crises and emergencies.

We agree that investments in sustainable, resilient, and interoperable infrastructure, in line with the EU Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans as well as the Growth Plan, are essential to support the gradual integration of the region into the EU Single Market.

We emphasize that intermodal connectivity is crucial for strengthening regional cooperation and generating shared growth by enhancing competitiveness, supporting decarbonization, and delivering tangible benefits through closer economic and institutional cooperation across the region.
SECURITY, RESILIENCE, AND MILITARY MOBILITY

We reaffirm our strong commitment to Corridor VIII as a priority for enhancing military mobility, resilience, and connectivity within the framework of strengthened EU–NATO cooperation, directly contributing to the security of the Alliance’s southeastern and eastern flanks, both in times of peace and during crises or conflict.

We emphasize that improving connectivity and safeguarding infrastructure along Corridor VIII directly supports the implementation of NATO’s Regional Plan and strengthens the collective ability to protect critical infrastructure, prevent and respond to hybrid threats, disinformation, irregular migration, and malign influence from third parties, in a security environment where developments along Europe’s eastern borders have direct implications for the stability of the Western Balkans, the Black Sea, and the Mediterranean—areas of strategic importance to NATO.

IMPLEMENTATION AND NEXT STEPS

We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to transforming Corridor VIII into a strategic artery for European connectivity, economic development, and prosperity, maintaining it as a priority on both national and European political agendas, as a demonstration of shared responsibility, long-term commitment, and a common strategic vision for the region.

We commit to intensifying joint efforts to mobilize financial resources from EU instruments, including the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), IPA III, and the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF), as well as from international financial institutions and public-private partnerships.
We agree to consolidate this five-party format as a structured, high-level political platform for dialogue and cooperation, and to continue regular political and technical consultations to rapidly advance Corridor VIII as a fully functional, sustainable, and integrated axis of European connectivity and security.
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