The European Commission proposed in March 2008 that talks be launched towards the formation of a Transport Community between the European Union and the Western Balkan states, and talks began in October 2008. Following the meeting in May 2010, it was stated the process of consensus on some technical details pertaining to the matter had been completed. The official formation of the Transport Community is expected to be signed before 2010 is out. However, attention has in the meantime been directed both to the benefits this agreement will bring to the Western Balkan countries and the disadvantages it may entail.

The basic aim of the Transport Community is to create a single market first at regional level and then between the Western Balkans and the European Union and as well as to bring the regional countries' transport laws in line with those of the EU. The Transport Community however is not to cover air travel. The why of the matter is that the EU and the Western Balkan countries signed in June 2006 the European Common Aviation Area, which provided for the Western Balkan countries to be included in the European Union's internal aviation market and the process to begin making the Union's aviation law to be valid in the regional countries as well. Membership of the Transport Community will not be automatic. The western Balkan countries may well be outside of the Community unless their transport law fits in with the EU acquis in transport. Besides the effort to make the Western Balkan countries' transport laws compatible with those of the EU, the Transport Community agreement also aims to develop the core transport networks determined for the region, ease the passage at border gates, protect the environment and render transparent the public contracts regarding transport.

The creation of a single market in transport is believed will make foreign trade in the Western Balkans faster and more efficient, introduce higher quality transport services, render the region a much more attractive tourist destination and introduce safer transport. Additionally, the legal and institutional framework to be drawn up as part of the Transport Community agreement will be conducive to more transport investment being made in the region and the intermodal transport infra-structure being enhanced.

The benefits the Transport Community will usher in being apart, it will push the Western Balkan countries' transport sector into some dire straits. The Transport Community will enable the EU transporters to do business and travel in the region without any restrictions and being discriminated against before the Western Balkan countries join the EU. However, road transport in the Western Balkans is being carried out by small companies and there is a paucity of large scale companies with experience in international markets. Low quality and hefty prices in transport services limit the region's international competitive power, which is one of the major reasons for the increased influence in the region of Western European companies. The transport freedom the Transport Community will bring along is bound to further aggravate the situation with more difficulties for less competitive companies of the region coming into the fray. Failure by the Western Balkan countries to display a firm and common posture in the Transport Community talks has naturally led the interest groups operating in the transport sector in the EU to reap pecuniary gains.

The Transport Community agreement due to be signed between the EU and the Western Balkan countries is something which should also closely concern Turkey. Two major problems Turkey has faced for a long time in its trade relations with the EU pertain to restrictions imposed as a result of quota implementations in road transport and difficulties Turkish transporters face to get a visa. These difficulties disrupt the Turkish businessmen's regular shipments and cause many orders to be cancelled. The Western Balkans, Serbia, in particular is Turkey's shortest cut into Europe. Therefore, the formation of a single transport market between the Western Balkans and the EU is very likely to give way to the expansion of unjustified implementations to seriously trim Turkey's competitive power. There is nothing to prevent Western European transporters expected to strengthen in the region from taking effective measures against Turkey's transport sector by engaging in lobbying activities with the regional countries.

If the sides sign the Transport Community agreement by the end of 2010, its implementation will not be possible before 2012 as it needs to be ratified by the parliaments of all concerned countries.