[1] The programme aim is to strengthen economic relations, trade, and transport in the regions of the Black Sea basin, South Caucasus, and Central Asia.

It has a permanent Secretariat, originally financed by the European Commission, in Baku, Azerbaijan, and a regional office in Odesa, Ukraine.

TRACECA was established in May 1993 in Brussels, upon the signing of a Multilateral Agreement on International Transport for the development of transport initiatives (including the establishment and development of a road corridor) between the EU member states, Eastern European, Caucasus and Central Asian countries.

The programme supports the political and economic independence of former Soviet Union republics through enhancing their access to European and global markets through road, rail and sea.

[5] The Permanent Secretariat of TRACECA was established in March 2000 in Baku, and inaugurated on February 21, 2001, with the participation of the then President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev, together with Javier Solana, Christopher Patten, Anna Lind.