Introduction

Záhony Logistics and Industrial Zone consortium was formed on the 23rd of June 2020 led by MÁV-REC ltd. and by its other member Záhony Port ltd. On 9 February 2021, the CELIZ consortium expanded with a third member of CECZ Central European Ltd.

Within the frame of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) promoted by the government of the People’s Republic of China, the aim of the consortium is to engage in the development of economic trade routes between East and West, as well as to implement innovative logistics and commercial services, which would make the area a strategically important freight hub in the CEE region. As part of the project, investment proposals about technological and industrial developments are being prepared, which will have a significant impact on the EU-China rail freight traffic, and also on the bilateral economic cooperation between Hungary and China.

Due to its favourable geographical position, Záhony is a strategically important location in terms of the rail freight traffic coming from China via Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine to Europe. The Chinese government supports the diversification of their land routes to Europe besides the often overloaded existing railways, therefore the BRI places a great emphasis on strengthening and developing new, alternative transport routes.

As a result, Hungary has a chance to join and take part in the logistics of Chinese container traffic, as well as to provide an opportunity for Chinese companies to establish their subsidiaries and factories here in the European Union.