EU advances investment in Corridor VIII transport infrastructure

On 8 October 2026, EU Commissioner Kos said at the Corridor VIII international conference in Sofia that the EU is pushing to raise up to €12 billion in public and private investment to improve roads, railways and ports and reduce border delays. The EU has provided €319 million for Corridor VIII in North Macedonia and Albania; the Kumanovo–Beljakovce railway line is fully operational, and a construction tender has been launched for the railway section from Kriva Palanka to the Bulgarian border. Bulgaria will co-host a connectivity summit with the European Commission in spring 2027.