From August 1 of this year, all our carriers who have licenses for international transport and vehicles with the Euro standard from "Euro 1" to "Euro 6", for the first time since the existence of the country, will start transporting goods to and from a third country from Serbia without transport permits , which is expected to increase transportation in the territory of the EU, Biljana Muratovska, general secretary of "Makam Trans", says for "Sloboden Pechat". Explaining what the Protocol on the Liberalization of the Transport of Goods from and to a Third Country means for all ecological vehicles, Muratovska points out the greater transport flexibility, which, on the other hand, will increase the utilization of the vehicle fleet, because both for our and Serbian carriers , there will be more work in the transport market in Europe.

- So far, 300 international permits for the transportation of goods, from and to a third country for all types of vehicles have been exchanged annually with Serbia. Only the bilateral and transit transport for Eurostandard vehicles was liberalized, and for the so-called "black vehicles" were exchanged for 5.000 permits. Liberalization is in accordance with the principles of "Open Balkans" - explains Muratovska.

By the end of June, the Ministry of Transport and Communications will also organize meetings with representatives of Ukraine and Turkey, in order to liberalize certain shipments of goods or to increase the number of international transport permits.

- Military conflicts, crises in the economy and the financial system must end, and this is a chance for us to transport goods for the rehabilitation of all the negative consequences in the devastated areas. The conditions need to be defined in time, which means that the negotiations with Ukraine are important for the transports that will increase in the coming period and will enable an increased volume of work - adds Muratovska.

The liberalization of bilateral, transit and transportation to and from a third country means saving time and costs for waiting for the loading of goods.

- If Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Montenegro join the "Open Balkans", the market will be further opened, and we hope that full liberalization of transportation will be possible with Albania as well - says Muratovska. This year, the Ministry of Transport intensified bilateral meetings to improve the conditions for international transport of goods, and things started with Germany, which was the first country to increase international transport permits.

The introduction of "Euro 7" – a new cost for truckers

The proposed regulation on "Euro 7" standards will increase the production costs of cars, vans, trucks and buses, foreign media reports. Over the life of the vehicle, fuel costs for owners could increase by 3,5 percent, which would mean an extra €20.000 for long-haul trucks and €650 for cars and vans. The European Automobile Manufacturers Association warns that the EC has ignored these costs in assessing the performance of Euro 7, and the truth is that they will bring additional financial pressures on consumers and companies at a time of high inflation and rising energy prices.

– These are new challenges and new investments for renewal of the vehicle fleet, an inevitability that is continuously implemented. The EC demands and insists on the production of environmentally friendly vehicles, which will contribute to general traffic safety. From 2013/2014 when Euro 6 vehicles began to be produced until today, new Euro standards have appeared every five years, but higher Euro standards have not been introduced for ten years. The decision to put into production vehicles with the "Euro 7" standard means that they will be driven in European countries, but for everyone else, including our carriers who drive there, it will be a new blow and reach for expensive loans if we want not to our work failed - adds Muratovska.