Silk Road revival - Brussels Energy Club leads the stakeholder discussion on the Middle Corridor
- May 4
- 3 min read
A high-level roundtable on the development of the Trans-Caspian “Middle Corridor Super-Highway was organized in Brussels on the 29th of April by the EU-Kazakhstan Gateway, bringing together policymakers, financial institutions, and industry leaders from across the European Union and Central Asia. Hosted in cooperation with Ferrmed and the European Institute for Asian Studies, the discussion focused on moving the corridor from strategic vision to concrete, investment-ready implementation.
Opening the session, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the EU, H.E. Roman Vassilenko highlighted the scale of ambition behind the corridor, pointing to approximately €35 billion in infrastructure investments over the last 15 years. He also framed the initiative as an opportunity for the region to reclaim its historic Silk Road legacy, restoring Central Asia’s traditional role as a dynamic hub of trade and exchange between Europe and Asia.
Participants stressed that the corridor represents more than a transport route. It is increasingly viewed as a strategic instrument to diversify supply chains, reduce reliance on traditional northern (Russia) and maritime (Indian Ocean) trade routes to China, and reposition Kazakhstan as “land-linked” rather than land-locked. In this context, the corridor was described as a driver of peace, prosperity, and regional cooperation, with the potential to strengthen trade links and energy security between Europe and Asia.
A key focus of the discussion was implementation. Participants pointed to initiatives such as investor forums aimed at translating EU commitments into tangible projects, supported by financial instruments and coordinated stakeholder engagement.
From a transportation and logistics perspective, the corridor is increasingly viewed as a credible alternative route, particularly as companies seek to shorten transit times and mitigate risks linked to geopolitical tensions and supply chain disruptions. However, several structural challenges remain. These include multimodal coordination across rail and maritime segments, bottlenecks in the Caspian Sea due to limited ferry capacity, customs inefficiencies, and a persistent lack of predictability, identified as a key concern for the private sector.
Rail infrastructure development was highlighted as central to both capacity expansion and decarbonisation efforts, with calls for improved coordination along the route. Digitalisation also emerged as a critical priority, with participants underlining the need for integrated, cross-border logistics systems to enhance transparency and efficiency. Customs modernisation was another central theme. Solutions such as the TIR system and its digital extension, e-TIR, were presented as practical tools to streamline border procedures and reduce delays.
Participants noted that the ultimate success of the corridor will depend on measurable improvements in transit times and reliability. This relates particularly to shippers who would be using the corridor as an alternative to northern and maritime routes, as they search for reliable, predictable and time-efficient alternatives for their cargo.
Beyond its economic function, the Middle Corridor was also framed as a broader geopolitical and developmental project. Participants highlighted its potential to enhance regional cooperation, strengthen energy security, and foster strategic interdependence between Europe and Central Asia, particularly in the context of critical raw materials. Participants also noted China’s Belt Road super-initiative, recognising the dominant role that Chinese investment is already playing in Eurasian infrastructure development.
Concluding the roundtable, participants agreed that while political momentum and feasibility studies are already in place, the next phase must focus on delivery, particularly if Europe is to compete with China as a leading player in Eurasian trade and transit.
The Brussels Energy Club played a central role in advancing dialogue on Eurasian connectivity, as its founder, Dr. Marat Terterov, moderated the event. He emphasized how the Middle Corridor could be a precursor of regional integration, but only if it generates tangible economic value within the region itself, rather than functioning solely as a transit route.
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