Kazakhstan and Georgia have agreed to launch a system for the electronic exchange of permits for international road freight transport as part of efforts to enhance coordination along the Middle Corridor. This was announced in a statement by the Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan.
The decision was made during a meeting of the Joint Kazakh-Georgian Commission on International Road Transport, held in Astana. According to the commission, testing of the digital e-Permit platform will begin on July 22, 2026. The system will allow carriers from both countries to submit and verify transport permits electronically, replacing the current paper-based procedure.
The sides also discussed further expansion of permit quotas for freight transport. After the full launch of the electronic exchange system, Kazakhstan and Georgia plan to move to an unlimited permit regime for bilateral road transport.
To meet current demand until the digital platform is fully operational, the commission approved the allocation of an additional 6,000 paper permits until the end of 2026.
"Furthermore, a preliminary permit quota for 2027 was agreed at 20,500 units, which is 6,000 more than the previous period. The increase in quota will create additional opportunities to meet demand for international road transport and develop trade and economic ties between Kazakhstan and Georgia," the statement said.
The expansion of transport document management capabilities is linked to growing freight flows along the Middle Corridor, which connects China with European markets via Central Asia and the South Caucasus.
Following the meeting, the sides agreed to establish a technical monitoring group to oversee the launch of the electronic platform and coordinate data exchange between relevant transport and customs authorities.