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Since 28 October, Kyiv has moved closer to joining the single market due to the revision of the DCFTA—the deep and comprehensive free trade agreement. It has lowered quotas and tariffs on several goods, but required the gradual alignment of agricultural production standards with those of the EU. Nevertheless, the European Commission has put in place safeguard mechanisms to protect European agricultural markets and supply chains.
Originally, the DCFTA entered into force in 2016. Since 2014, they have considered it as one of the pillars of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. Later, in 2022, an interim framework known as ATM, the “Autonomous Trade Measures“, replaced it, suspending pre-existing tariffs and barriers on Ukrainian agricultural exports to the EU and temporarily opening the single market to Kyiv for grains, corn, eggs, poultry, sugar, dairy products, and more.
They renewed the exceptional measures for three years, until June 2025. There are three pillars of the agreement: increased trade flows, alignment of production standards, and a “robust” safeguard clause. Brussels was aimed at striking a balance between further trade liberalization, providing Ukraine with the necessary support and protecting certain agricultural sectors in the Union.
Compared to the original agreement, the increases will remain “modest” for the most sensitive products (sugar, poultry, eggs, wheat, maize, and honey).
Ukrainian goods will access more easily to the single market if Ukraine gradually aligns with EU production standards (animal welfare, the use of pesticides, and veterinary medicines).
Also, the DCFTA has designed safeguard mechanisms to protect European markets, in case of severe disruptions at the EU or national level.
Generally, Brussels assures that it has carefully calibrated “the concessions of additional preferential access to the Ukrainian market and has put in place the necessary safeguards, in particular for farmers in Kyiv’s neighboring countries.”
The 27 member states accepted the terms of the new agreement on 13 October. Nevertheless, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia introduced national bans on the import of certain agricultural products from Ukraine last spring. According to Hungarian Minister of Agriculture István Nagy, Budapest will maintain the ban, despite the DCFTA entering into force.
European Commission didn’t comment on the Orban government’s stance, trying to avoid speaking about this dangerous precedent. It is also lobbying capitals (particularly Paris) to approve another, much more ambitious free trade agreement with the Mercosur countries.
NH Logistics UKR has been offering IOR Importer of Record and EOR Exporter of Record services since 2001 and is a market leader in Ukraine and Eurasia, supporting many clients with their import/export shipments.

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Azerbaijan and Serbia signed a Roadmap to advance bilateral trade, investment, and energy projects on October 23, during the 9th meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation in Belgrade. Azerbaijani Finance Ministers Sahil Babayev and Samir Sharifov, and Serbian Minister Nikola Selakovic emphasized regional connectivity, the Alat Free Economic Zone, Middle Corridor transport links, natural gas exports, SOCAR investments, and participation in EXPO 2027.
Orkhan Mammadov, the Chairman of the Small and Medium Business Development Agency (KOBIA) of Azerbaijan, and Nikola Jankovic, the Director of the Serbian Development Agency, signed a roadmap to implement activities under the Memorandum of Understanding.
As Sahil Babayev noted, nine Serbian companies currently operate in Azerbaijan, and Azerbaijani construction firms take part in major highway projects in Serbia.
In his turn, Nikola Selakovic, the Minister of Culture of Serbia, expects the first meeting of the Strategic Partnership Council between Azerbaijan and Serbia to have taken place by the end of 2025. He reminded about bilateral ties of strategic character that the 2013 Declaration of Strategic Partnership formalized, the 2018 Joint Action Plan, and the 2022 Memorandum of Understanding establishing the Council. Azerbaijan also got an invitation to the EXPO 2027 Belgrade (May – August 2027).
Then, Azerbaijan’s Finance Minister Samir Sharifov and Serbia’s Minister of Culture Nikola Selakovic had a one-on-one meeting focused on cooperation across multiple sectors, including energy, transport, agriculture, healthcare, and education. According to Samir Sharifov, the personal friendship of Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Aleksandar Vucic reinforces the strategic partnership between the two nations. He also mentioned the supply of Azerbaijani natural gas to Serbia that started in January 2024, (around 300 million cubic meters to date), and the State Oil Fund’s $72.7 million investment in Serbia. Also, SOCAR, EPS, and Srbijagas collaborate on a 500 MW combined cycle power plant in Niš. They also discussed transport and green energy cooperation and the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan. From his side, Selakovic appreciated Serbia’s support in international forums and its non-recognition of Kosovo’s independence.
Before participating in the Azerbaijan-Serbia Business Forum, public and private sector representatives attended a press conference. According to Sharifov, the results of the session defined future cooperation in alignment with the spirit of friendship and partnership between the two countries. He appreciated Azerbaijan’s transparent and diversified economic policy and the investment potential of the Alat Free Economic Zone and the Middle Corridor project. Sharifov said he was confident that the Azerbaijan-Serbia friendship and partnership would continue to strengthen.
NH Logistics SER has been offering IOR Importer of Record and EOR Exporter of Record services since 2001 and is a market leader in Serbia and Eurasia, supporting many clients with their import/export shipments.

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The National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat) says that Georgia’s foreign trade turnover, excluding unorganised trade, rose 9.1% year-on-year to $18.5 billion in January–September 2025.
As Georgian media report, imports into the country increased by 9.7% and reached $13.4 billion, and exports grew by 7.7% to $5.2 billion.
Georgia’s trade deficit attained $8.2 billion (up by 11%).
Copper ores and concentrates, ferroalloys, natural grape wines, spirits, mineral water, passenger cars, nitrogen fertilisers, pharmaceuticals, gold, timber, and various nuts were exported by Georgia.
Exports of precious metal ores and concentrates rose by 62.7%, sugar-containing mineral or carbonated waters – by 21.5%, passenger cars – by 13.7%, unprocessed or semi-processed gold – by13.4%, nitrogen fertilisers by 11.9%, and pharmaceuticals – by 7%. Nevertheless, exports of ferroalloys decreased by 32.7%, natural grape wines – by 11.5%, and spirits – by 4.7%.
Crude oil and petroleum products, passenger vehicles, petroleum gas and gaseous hydrocarbons, unprocessed carbon steel rods, medicines, mobile phones, trucks, computers and related components, vaccines, and blood and immunological sera were included in key imports.
Imports of works of art (paintings, drawings, and pastels) grew by 164,079.5%, medicines in packaging by10.3%, passenger cars by 9.9%, and petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons by7%.
Opposingly, downfall of imports of computers and related components attained 50.8%, unprocessed carbon steel rods – 28.8%, trucks – 24.4%, tobacco products – 5.5%, and crude oil and petroleum products – 1%.
Bilateral trade reaching $2.3 billion (12.2% of Georgia’s total foreign trade) made Türkiye Georgia’s top trading partner in January- September 2025. Azerbaijan, Germany, Kazakhstan, Armenia, and the United Kingdom were other major partners.
NH Logistics GEO has been offering IOR Importer of Record and EOR Exporter of Record services since 2001 and is a market leader in Georgia and Eurasia, supporting many clients with their import/export shipments.

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According to finance minister Sinisa Mali, U.S. have proposed Serbia to outline the framework of a trade agreement between the two countries, and Serbia is ready to continue further negotiations.
She recalled free trade agreements between Serbia and China, Egypt, the UAE signed last year and current negotiations with South Korea.
From his side, U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled a 10% baseline tariff on all exporters to the country. Duties on some 60 nations identified as having high barriers on imports from the U.S. are even higher. For example, tariff on imports from Serbia attained 37% in April 2024, but later it was reduced to 35%.
Data from Serbia’s statistics office report that Serbia exported to the U.S. goods worth 619.5 million euro ($725 million), and imported goods worth 683.7 million euro in 2024.
According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. exported $209.8 million worth of goods to Serbia and imported $814.2 million in 2024.
As data from Serbia’s chamber of commerce showed, tyres (123.7 million euro), uncategorised goods – including military equipment (109.6 million euro), motor parts (37.2 million euro), pet food (27.4 million euro), and ammunition (25 million euro), were products that Serbia exported the most to the U.S.in 2024.
NH Logistics SER has been offering IOR Importer of Record and EOR Exporter of Record services since 2001 and is a market leader in Serbia and Eurasia, supporting many clients with their import/export shipments.

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Many ships come to the Poti Sea Port, on the Black Sea coast of Georgia, and will go to Turkey or Romania to reach the EU.

Since 2022, the need to streamline trade through the “Middle Corridor” has become evident.

Meanwhile, as Atlantic Council reports, volumes on the Northern Corridor fell by half in 2023, while volumes on the Middle Corridor increased by 89 per cent.

Another reason to develop the Middle Corridor is a recurrent disruption to maritime traffic through the Red Sea as a result of attacks by Houthi militants in Yemen.

Another major infrastructure development is the new Tbilisi Dry Port opened in June. AD Ports Group, based in Abu Dhabi, owns it.

According to Levan Berdzenishvili, commercial manager at Tbilisi Dry Port, this hub allows to load cargo to and from trains at Tbilisi.

Finally, additional rail spurs and warehousing facilities will be connected next year.

Not only cargo, but also oil and gas run via the Middle Corridor through Georgia, from Azerbaijan to export terminals in Turkey.

Also, Georgia has become an important link in the Green Energy Corridor, an underwater transmission line linking Georgia to Romania.

Nevertheless, the main challenge is the complexity of the Middle Corridor’s route. It needs to load cargoes heading from China along the corridor to ships to cross the Caspian Sea, then to load them back on to trains or trucks in Baku to cross the Caucasus, and then to transfer to ships again at the Black Sea coast.

Demand for the Middle Corridor could be undermined by factors beyond Georgia’s control, including rail and port delays in Central Asia, or a lack of shipping capacity on the Caspian.

However, the role of Georgia is to ensure the functioning of the Middle Corridor.

Another important thing is a peace deal between Azerbaijan and Armenia, including a pledge to develop trade and infrastructure along the so-called ‘Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity’.

Yet, delays in approving an expansion plan that would see it invest at least $200mn in a new quay are frustrating for APM.

The reason is the priority of a new deepwater port further north at Anaklia.

Alkis Drakinos, regional director for Caucasus at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, says that private sector partners have expressed underwhelming levels of demand to the EBRD. Nevertheless, financing bankable Middle Corridor projects will be considered.

Also, Drakinos warns that the government is not doing enough to encourage investment in Middle Corridor infrastructure.

NH Logistics GEO has been offering IOR Importer of Record and EOR Exporter of Record services since 2001 and is a market leader in Georgia and Eurasia, supporting many clients with their import/export shipments.

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According to Serbian state-owned postal operator Posta Srbije, a regional logistics centre in the central city of Kraljevo restarted its work following a reconstruction.
As the postal operator said in a press release on Monday, Posta Srbije’s Kraljevo logistics centre is its fifth one in the country to introduce a robotic system for automatic sorting of postal items. The other four are in Nis, Novi Sad, Kragujevac, and Belgrade.
There are 42 robots, with a capacity of 2,500 postal items per hour, in the new system. Processing and delivery times have also become shorter.
According to Zoran Andjelkovic, Posta Srbije acting director, the strategic goal was to equip all large logistics centres with robots and make new technologies and artificial intelligence an integral part of business processes. Putting this centre into operation completes the robotisation process in all large centres.
As Andjelkovic also said, Posta Srbije will complete a tender for eDeliveries by the end of the year. It will facilitate its staff.
The Kraljevo logistics centre processed more than 900,000 postal items in January-September 2025. This result made it Posta Srbije’s fourth largest logistics centre, after Belgrade, Nis, and Novi Sad.
NH Logistics SER has been offering IOR Importer of Record and EOR Exporter of Record services since 2001 and is a market leader in Serbia and Eurasia, supporting many clients with their import/export shipments.

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As Roksolana Pidlasa, head of the parliamentary budget committee, said at the Ukrainian Exports Forum Through the Thorns to the EU, the Council of the European Union will examine the tariff quotas for certain Ukrainian agricultural exports on October 13. The new quotas, surpassing Ukraine’s maximum export limits under autonomous trade preferences, will cover 21 of the 34 existing categories. The EU confirmed its readiness for the review, according to Gediminas Navickas, the deputy head of the EU delegation to Ukraine.
Also, the government’s plans to raise quotas compared to 2021, including a 583.3% increase for honey, 500% for sugar and processed starch, 300% for eggs, 233.3% for butter, 153% for corn, 133.3% for poultry, 130% for wheat, and 125% for ethanol, have been announced.
Nevertheless, as MEP Karin Karlsbro pointed out, the “agricultural lobby” within the EU influences these high quotas and makes trade between Ukraine and the EU beneficial for both parties.
NH Logistics UKR has been offering IOR Importer of Record and EOR Exporter of Record services since 2001 and is a market leader in Ukraine and Eurasia, supporting many clients with their import/export shipments.

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The exports of Georgia (excluding non-declared exports) attained USD 4 448.2 million, 6.7 percent higher year-on-year, in January-August 2025. The domestic exports rose by 3.1 percent compared to the same period of 2024. It had the share of 45.3 percent in total exports and reached USD 2 014.0 million.
In the reporting period, the top ten trading partners by domestic exports had the share of 71.1 percent in the total domestic exports of Georgia. Russia (USD 450.1 million), Türkiye (USD 185.6 million) and China (USD 177.9 million) were the top partners.
The first place in the list of top domestic export items was taken by precious metal ores and concentrates (USD 239.1 million,11.9 percent of total domestic exports). Then followed the domestic exports wine of fresh grapes (USD 164.9 million, 8.2 percent. The third place belonged to the domestic exports of spirituous beverages (USD 142.1 million, 7.1 percent).
NH Logistics GEO has been offering IOR Importer of Record and EOR Exporter of Record services since 2001 and is a market leader in Georgia and Eurasia, supporting many clients with their import/export shipments.

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As the statistical office said on Tuesday, Serbia’s trade deficit increased by an annual 6% to 5.76 billion euro ($6.76 billion) in the first eight months of the year.
In the reporting period, exports grew by 8.6% on the year to 21.76 billion euro, while imports rose by 8% to 27.51 billion euro
Also, there was an increase of the export-import ratio in the review period rose to 79.1% from 78.7%.
Electrical machines (the total worth of 2.4 billion euro), non-ferrous metals (1.4 billion euro), metal ores and residues (1.3 billion euro), road vehicles (1.2 billion euro), and power-generating machinery and equipment (1.1 billion euro) were Serbia’s most exported products.
Simultaneously, Serbian electrical machines were also the most imported, at 1.8 billion euro. Then followed oil and oil derivatives (1.4 billion euro), medical and pharmaceutical products (1.36 billion euro), road vehicles (1.3 billion euro), and industrial machines (1.2 billion euro).
Germany (3.4 billion euro), Bosnia and Herzegovina (1.4 billion euro), and Italy (1.3 billon euro) were Serbia’s main export destinations in the reporting period. China (4 billion euro), Germany (3.2 billion euro), and Italy (1.8 billion euro) were Serbia’s main partners by imports.
In August, the decrease of imports attained 0.7% to 3.11 billion euro and the downfall of exports reached 2.6% on the year to 2.37 billion euro. That made a trade gap widen from a 698 million euro in the same month last year to 739 million euro.
Last year, the increase of Serbia’s trade gap was 3.8% (totally 8.54 billion euro).
NH Logistics SER has been offering IOR Importer of Record and EOR Exporter of Record services since 2001 and is a market leader in Serbia and Eurasia, supporting many clients with their import/export shipments.

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Georgia external merchandise trade (excluding non-declared trade) attained USD 16 250.8 million in January-August 2025 (8.8 percent higher year-on-year). The exports showed a 6.7 percent growth and reached 4 448.2 million, while the imports increased by 9.7 percent and attained USD 11 802.7 million. The share of the negative trade balance in external trade turnover (totally it was USD 7 354.5 million in January-August 2025) constituted 45.3 percent.

Kyrgyzstan (USD 943.1 million), Kazakhstan (USD 572.9 million) and Russia (USD 480.7 million) were the top ten Georgia’s trading partners by exports. Their share in the total exports of the country amounted to 79.8 percent in January-August 2025. The USA (USD 1 801.0 million), Türkiye (USD 1 779.8 million) and China (USD 1 225.1 million) were the top partners by imports in the reporting period. Their share in the total imports of Georgia was 71.3 percent.

Türkiye (USD 1 989.7 million), the USA (USD 1 863.5 million) and Russia (USD 1 705.5 million) were the top trading partners in January-August 2025 with the share of 68.7 percent in the total external trade turnover of Georgia.

Motor cars (USD 1 728.3 million, 38.9 percent of exports), precious metal ores and concentrates (USD 239.1 million, 5.4 percent of exports), spirituous beverages (USD 172.0 million, 3.9 percent of exports) were top export items in the reporting period.

Motor cars (USD 2 422.6 million, 20.5 percent of the total imports), petroleum and petroleum oils (USD 846.1 million, 7.2 percent of imports), paintings, drawings and pastels (USD 481.4 million, 4.1 percent of imports) were the top import commodities in January-August 2025.

NH Logistics GEO has been offering IOR Importer of Record and EOR Exporter of Record services since 2001 and is a market leader in Georgia and Eurasia, supporting many clients with their import/export shipments.

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