The kick-off conference for the “Greener and Smarter Romanian-Serbian Border Crossing Points" project (SMART BORDERS, RORS00340) was held in Timișoara on 22 July 2026. The project is being implemented under the Interreg IPA Romania–Serbia Programme, with co-financing from the European Union.
The project is led by the Territorial Inspectorate of the Border Police Timișoara, with the Property Directorate of the Republic of Serbia and the Politehnica University of Timișoara serving as project partners.
The objective of the project is to modernise the infrastructure at border crossing points between Serbia and Romania through the implementation of energy-efficient and sustainable solutions.
The planned activities will contribute to reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, while also improving working conditions for employees and enhancing the conditions for travellers at border crossing points.
A particularly significant role in the implementation of the project has been entrusted to the Republic Directorate for Property of the Republic of Serbia, which will be responsible for carrying out modernisation works at as many as seven border crossing points in Serbia: Nakovo, Jaša Tomić, Kaluđerovo, Vatin, Đerdap, Vrbica, Srpska Crnja. These investments will improve the energy efficiency of the facilities, reduce their operating costs, and create better conditions for the uninterrupted flow of cross-border traffic.
On the Romanian side, the project encompasses the modernisation of the Jimbolia and Moravița border crossing points. In addition, the Politehnica University of Timișoara will establish a mobile laboratory for technical testing and measurements, the results of which will serve as the basis for preparing a joint handbook on the energy efficiency of public infrastructure.
In addition to the concrete investments at nine border crossing points, the SMART BORDERS project represents an example of successful cross-border cooperation between the institutions of Serbia and Romania and lays the foundations for future investments in sustainable and modern public infrastructure.
The ceremonial opening of the project was attended by representatives of institutions of both countries, including Silvia Davidoiu, Ambassador of Romania to the Republic of Serbia; Ivana Jakšić Matović, Consul General of the Republic of Serbia in Timișoara; Daniel Boicu, Deputy Director of the Directorate for External Non-Reimburseble Funds of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Romania; and the project coordinators Adriana Tocar (Politehnica University of Timișoara) and Milan Savić (Republic Directorate for Property of the Republic of Serbia).
The total value of the project amounts to EUR 3,913,752.52, of which the European Union is providing EUR 3,326,689.63 (85%), while the remaining amount is being co-financed by the project partners. The project will be implemented over a period of 24 months, from April 2026 to April 2028.
