EU, TRIPP and the BTJ Pipeline Model

The European Union can approach the TRIPP (“Trump’s Path to International Peace and Prosperity”) project with the same strategic vision that underpinned the construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline.

This is stated in an article by the Geneva Center for Security Policy (GCSP), which is published by Report.

In particular, according to the center’s assessment, “Despite Azerbaijan’s limited financial resources in the 1990s, political support and investments from the EU, the US and international companies made the BTC project possible, which strengthened the country’s independence, as well as regional cooperation between Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey.”

“Similarly, TRIPP today requires sustained political, technical, and economic support from the EU and the US. Such engagement would help diversify the EU’s trade and transport routes, strengthen regional connectivity, and lay the foundation for future strategic infrastructure projects in the South Caucasus and Caspian region,” the GCSP writes.

The article emphasizes that the EU’s role should be defined with the explicit consent of the US, Azerbaijan, and Armenia, and that the bloc should complement, not replace, local responsibilities while retaining full control of the process for Baku and Yerevan.

In addition, the center estimates that digital transformation is key to improving TRIPP’s effectiveness and competitiveness. In particular, based on the experience of implementing the European Rail Traffic Management System, or ERTMS, Brussels can, at the request of Armenia and Azerbaijan, facilitate the development and implementation of digital customs and transit platforms. These platforms will ensure the seamless exchange of electronic data, the paperless flow of documents and real-time monitoring of cargo.

The GCSP writes that supporting the implementation of standardized customs codes, electronic seals and intelligent logistics technologies, including radio frequency identification (RFID), will bring TRIPP operational systems in line with the standards of the Europe-Caucasus-Asia Transport Corridor, or TRACECA, and European digital norms.

In addition, upon official request from Armenia and Azerbaijan, EU capacity building programs in the field of integrated border management could be used to improve the capacity of customs and border services, reduce delays and promote legal and procedural harmonization along the route.

In parallel, the article states, the EU could co-finance the creation of a technical coordination platform between Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey and Georgia, potentially co-chaired by the EU and the United States.

“Such a platform will facilitate regulatory harmonization, synchronization of technical standards and facilitation of data exchange. Building on its experience in managing transnational corridors, the EU can contribute to the development of real-time data exchange systems, digital dashboards and cargo flow tracking tools to identify bottlenecks and coordinate infrastructure services,” the GCSP writes.

For reference: The 42-kilometer transport communication system of TRIPP, or the “Trump Route”, will pass through the Syunik region of southern Armenia, which Azerbaijan calls the Zangezur Corridor. The main goal of the project is to unblock the transport connection between Azerbaijan and its enclave of the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic. For its part, Armenia will retain sovereignty over its territory, although a private American company will manage the route after receiving the appropriate license. Armenia is currently discussing two scenarios for leasing a transport corridor for the TRIPP project with the United States, one of which involves a 49-year and the other a 99-year agreement.

The first Armenian-American document on the project will be signed in the coming days or weeks, and construction will begin in the second half of 2026.

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