EBRD, EU back new customs and logistics centre for Armenian capital

• €39 million EBRD loan coupled with a €6 million EU grant for modern, sustainable infrastructure
• Financing will support faster and more efficient customs services
• Part of the EBRD Green Cities programme addressing key environmental priorities

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is financing a new customs and logistics centre on the outskirts of Yerevan, Armenia, with a €39 million sovereign loan, complemented by a €6 million grant from the European Union (EU).

The new facility will replace several fragmented customs sites across the capital, improving service quality and reducing the time required for clearance. The high-quality scanning and inspection equipment will significantly enhance the efficiency of the clearance processes and accelerate them by bringing into motion a ‘single window’ principle for customs operations. The facility will strengthen regional connectivity and support trade, contributing to the country’s broader goals for economic development.

The site will also be among the first public buildings in Armenia to receive green building certification, achieving a considerable increase in energy efficiency. Relocating customs operations outside the capital and bringing them under one roof will ease traffic congestion, improve air quality and cut freight-related greenhouse gas emissions in Yerevan by a third.

Yerevan was one of the first cities to join the EBRD’s Green Cities programme, and this project is a follow-on investment under Yerevan’s Green City Action Plan. By consolidating customs operations into a modern, energy-efficient facility, the city is addressing key environmental priorities. This financing is also one of the EU’s Global Gateway flagship initiatives for 2025 under the EU Economic and Investment Plan for Eastern Partnership and demonstrates the EU commitment to strategic investment and sustainable development in Armenia and in the wider region.

In addition, a nationwide rollout of digital customs training, the embedding of data literacy and the opening of new job opportunities across Armenia will be supported by the Bank and the TaiwanBusiness -EBRD Technical Cooperation Fund.

Since the start of its operations in Armenia in 1992, the EBRD has invested more than €2.5 billion in the country across 231 projects.