BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 2. The European Union will hold a dialogue Improving the Competitiveness of the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor (Middle Corridor) on November 17, 2026.
According to information published on the European Commission’s website, the event will be chaired by European Commissioners Marta Kos and Jozef Síkela. It is noted that representatives from the private sector, international financial institutions, and the European Commission will participate in the event.
"The main objective of the dialogue will be to discuss mechanisms for expanding support for strategic investments in the development of the Middle Corridor.
The European Union's Cross-Regional Connectivity Agenda sets out a clear strategic direction: to deepen cooperation between EU Member States, Eastern Partnership countries, and Black Sea and Central Asian partners across trade, transport, energy, and digital transformation.
Meanwhile, the private sector is assigned a special role in the development of such cooperation. Public investment can help expand the corridor’s infrastructure capacity, but the long-term involvement of private companies and their investments are key to transforming the route into a reliable and commercially attractive transportation corridor," the European Commission’s statement reads.
In addition, it is emphasized that the event will explore practical mechanisms for regular consultations with private-sector representatives within the framework of the Connectivity Agenda Platform.
"In addition, participants will discuss opportunities for business support from the EU and international financial institutions, not only through financing, but also through regulatory measures, coordination, technical assistance and de-risking.
Another objective of the dialogue will be to gather concrete private-sector recommendations and identify opportunities to improve the design, prioritization and implementation of corridor-related actions and investments, covering both hard and soft infrastructure, while tackling the existing barriers," the European Commission reports.
The EU Connectivity Agenda Platform was launched in June 2026. It is designed to ensure more structured engagement with the private sector on issues related to the development of transport, energy, trade, and digital connections between Europe, Central Asia, and neighboring regions.
