During the period prior to Romania's accession to the Schengen area, the freight transport was affected by a fragmented logistical system, characterized by administrative barriers and customs procedures at the external borders of the EU.
It has already been six months since Romania entered Schengen and Road
This context generates unpredictable logistics, additional costs and low competitiveness for Romanian operators.
Each border crossing involved laborious customs formalities at the documentation level, thorough documents and possible inspections of goods. Depending on the complexity of the load and the vigilance of the authorities, the waiting time varies from a few hours to one day. These repeated stops generated significant delays, affecting the delivery program and increasing the risk of non -observance of the contractual terms.
Also, the air transport of goods, from Romania to Schengen states, was subject to additional stops and controls at airports outside the Schengen area. Each batch of goods was checked in detail, and the lack of a continuous flow of operation could lead to the loss of air connections, thus compromised the delivery to the final customer. In addition, the operators had to allocate specialized teams for managing the specific documents to each border or airport, which involved high operational costs. In many situations, the delays also attracted additional expenses with temporary storage and handling of goods, affecting the efficiency and predictability of the logistics chain.
The figures offered by UNTRR (the National Union of Road Carriers in Romania) confirm the real dimension of the challenges generated by the failure to Schengen: estimated losses at 19 billion euros in 2012 – 2023, caused by waiting times with the internal borders with Hungary and Bulgaria. Frequently, Romanian carriers faced waiting times of 20-30 hours, reaching 3 days in some cases, especially at the border with Bulgaria.
Schengen in practice: The first 6 months without road borders
Romania's entry into the Schengen area of terrestrial has redefined the performance of road logistics, bringing tangible benefits for transport operators, say specialists from Gebruder Weiss. According to them, the elimination of systematic controls at borders with Hungary and Bulgaria has led to a significant reduction in waiting times, contributing to increased predictability and operational efficiency.
For transport operators, this change means more than traffic fluidity – lower operating costs, low fuel consumption, optimization of drivers' expenses, but also decreased carbon fingerprint associated with long stay.
Direct effects on logistical and operational flows
The accession to Schengen has eliminated a series of major blockages in international road transport, with immediate impact on operational efficiency. One of the most visible changes was the significant reduction of waiting times with the borders with Hungary and Bulgaria – where previously, the trucks recorded daily delays of 8–10 hours, respectively, over 8 hours.
The elimination of routine physical controls at border points has led to fluidization of freight flows and eliminating prolonged stationations. And the carriers can opt for shorter and direct routes through Schengen States, without taking into account the waiting times for the borders. This avoids bypassing certain crowded border points (eg Nădlac), which reduces fuel consumption and CO2 imprint.
Also, the expenses associated with the staff (daytime, accommodation, additional drivers) are diminished, and the delivery times become easier to plan and control. Carriers can also quickly recalibrate routes according to traffic, weather conditions or customer requirements, without borders.
Operational efficiency and dynamics of demand in road transport
The elimination of physical controls at border has generated not only a more efficient flow of goods, but also important savings for carriers. Prior to accession, the drivers lost on average about 40 hours per month stationing at the border points.
Currently, this interval has reduced significantly, to only 10-15 hours, which means less time lost and low fuel consumption. The benefits obtained from this efficiency can be directed to the modernization of the fleet, digitalization and training of the staff, thus strengthening the long -term competitiveness.
In parallel, the demand for road transport is increasing, supplied including by the temporary decline of railway transport. In Romania and Hungary, the rehabilitation works of the railway infrastructure led to a significant volume transfer to the road, with an estimated increase to about 20%. Even if this peak is expected to temper with the completion of the works on the railway, at present, road operators benefit from an increased influx and an reinforced position in regional logistics chains.
“This situation means not only the efficiency of the costs, but also the chance to capitalize on an ascent request, through a solid, digitized and quickly adapted road network to the new dynamics of European mobility.“, Considers Sergiu Grăjdeanu, Business Unit Manager, international transport within Gebrüder Weiss Romania.
Increasing Romania's relevance as a transit route
In the medium term, this new configuration increases the competitiveness of the Romanian operators. Faster and foreseeable access to western European markets allows more efficient integration into transcontinental logistics chains. Local carriers thus gain an important competitive advantage in front of companies in western Europe.
At the same time, the attractiveness of routes through Romania also increases, because our country becomes part of the routes
of Schengen transit, which encourages foreign operators to transit Romania for links
east-west. Important logistics corridors, such as corridor IX (Pan-European), develop.
And the cities in western Romania-Arad, Oradea, Timișoara-become of strategic importance for the international flow of goods, through their proximity to Hungary and other Schengen routes.
High compliance demands and transition to digitalization
If the elimination of physical controls at borders significantly simplifies the freight flow, it is compensated by a more rigorous digital monitoring and intensified controls inside the national borders: traditional documents are gradually replaced by solutions such as: E-CMR, E-factura, E-transport or E-sigil, which allow the precise and real time.
In the counterparty, accession also involves additional obligations. Connecting to the Schengen (SIS) information system allows the rapid exchange of data between the Member States, which increases the efficiency of the checks and increases the pressure on the transport operators to comply with European regulations.
Operators must comply more strictly to European road safety rules, driving times and use of digital equipment (eg digital tachographs), which can generate pressure on the transport program, especially in cases where controls become more rigorous. On the other hand, but they also need to invest time and resources in digitalization, staff training and procedure review.
Post-accession constraints and adjustment measures
After joining Schengen, the carriers encountered a number of challenges related to adapting to new digital procedures and regulations. Familiarization with electronic customs control and declaration systems, such as E-CMR or electronic statements, was essential, but in practice there have been difficulties. Although systematic border controls have been eliminated, sporadic or punctual controls continue to exist, generating confusions regarding the moment and legal framework in which they can be performed, especially in emergency or risk for security.
In addition, the differences in the interpretation of the rules and documents between the Member States complicate the management of cross -border operations. Examples in this regard include the diverse treatment of goods accompanying documents, various requirements regarding the security controls or different interpretations of the rules regarding the driving and rest time. Also, there are uncertainties related to the competences of the authorities in checking the legality of the stay and personal documents of the drivers in the races that cross several Schengen countries.
In order to respond to these constraints, the operators and authorities were forced to implement technological and procedural adjustment measures. The updating and integration of customs computer systems in the Schengen networks represents important steps in this regard, facilitating respect for rules and increasing transparency.
Development opportunities in an advantageous logistical context
The accession to Schengen functions as a strategic catalyst for the sustainable transformation of the transport and logistics market in Romania – with direct effects on both the companies in the sector and on the national economy. The new context in which Romania is found today, 6 months after accession, creates favorable premises for attracting foreign investments in transport and logistics infrastructure, and improving internal connections (A1, A7, rapid railway lines) becomes a strategic priority.
The developers of logistics park are interested in expanding the storage capacities in the vicinity of the main road and railway corridors. The west of the country can become the host of new cross-docking terminals and consolidation of goods, now taking advantage of easy access to Schengen routes and markets in Germany, Italy or Austria.
Companies from automotive, electronics or consumer goods are already seeking alternatives to move production to Central and Eastern Europe.
The fast academy at the single market, without border barriers, competitive costs and labor preparation and expertise offers to Romania a competitive advantage difficult to ignore.
Constanța port also has the chance to become a key point in the maritime supply networks, connecting through road and rail transport the flows to Central and Western Europe.
