Scientific paper ID 2787 : 2026/4

This article examines the development, transformation and strategic significance of the “Adriatic – Black Sea” transport axis, historically known as Pan European Corridor No. 8. Following the adoption of Regulation (EU) 1315/2013, the corridor ceased to exist as an independent entity, and its segments were integrated into different components of the expanded Trans European Transport Network (TEN T). The study explores the infrastructural challenges, economic and geopolitical implications, competition with other European transport axes, and the strategic relevance of the route for NATO military mobility. The findings indicate that, despite the administrative fragmentation of Corridor VIII and the incorporation of its segments into two separate core network corridors, its geoeconomic importance for Bulgaria and its strategic value for NATO remain high. The article also outlines possible scenarios for the partial or full completion of the Adriatic–Black Sea axis and assesses their implications for Bulgaria’s position within the broader logistics chain.