On 23 June 2026, the European Commission launched the Connectivity Agenda Platform and concluded agreements with international financial institutions expected to mobilise up to €2 billion for strategic connectivity investments in the Black Sea region and the South Caucasus. The Platform was unveiled at a high-level ministerial meeting hosted by Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela, and Commissioner for Sustainable Transport Apostolos Tzitzikostas. The meeting brought together ministers of transport and senior representatives from EU Member States, Armenia, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye, Ukraine and Uzbekistan, alongside representatives of the G7 and international financial institutions, to advance the Cross-regional Connectivity Agenda under the Global Gateway strategy.
The Connectivity Agenda Platform will provide a framework for participating countries, international financial institutions and other stakeholders to coordinate investments and policy action across transport, energy, digital connectivity and trade sectors. Participants also agreed to strengthen the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor's operational performance and invited the Commission to assess the corridor's functioning and propose priority actions to improve its competitiveness. The Commission has concluded statements of intent with international financial institutions expected to mobilise up to €2 billion for investments in transport infrastructure, border crossing points and trade facilitation across the Black Sea region and the South Caucasus.
The Cross-regional Connectivity Agenda was first presented at the Cross-regional Security and Connectivity Ministerial Meeting in Luxembourg in October 2025, as part of the EU's Global Gateway strategy. It aims to strengthen transport, energy and digital links between the European Union and Central Asia through the South Caucasus and the Black Sea region by coordinating strategic investments and regulatory cooperation. At the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor (TCTC) and Connectivity Investors Forum in Tashkent in November 2025, participants highlighted the corridor's growing strategic importance as a resilient and efficient route between Europe and Central Asia.
Commissioner Kos noted that trade along the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor could increase fivefold over the next 15 years, adding that the Platform will connect existing projects, fill infrastructure gaps and link the route from end to end. Commissioner Síkela said the investment agreements upgrade infrastructure, improve border crossings and help create a quicker, more reliable route, enhancing competitiveness and energy security. Commissioner Tzitzikostas stated that the investments will modernise transport infrastructure, strengthen border crossings and facilitate trade, unlocking economic opportunities for Europe and its partners.
The initiative impacts several stakeholders. EU and partner-country businesses stand to benefit from improved trade routes and reduced transit times, potentially lowering logistics costs. International financial institutions gain a coordinated investment framework, reducing project fragmentation. National governments in Central Asia, the South Caucasus and the Black Sea region receive targeted infrastructure funding, but may face pressure to align regulatory standards with EU norms. EU taxpayers contribute indirectly through EU budget guarantees under Global Gateway, with returns expected from increased trade and stability. The Platform is expected to be followed by a Commission assessment of the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor and priority actions to improve its competitiveness.