1. © International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2004 Page 1 Opportunities & Advantages of Intermodal Transport between Europe & Asia Opportunities & Advantages of Intermodal Transport between Europe & Asia Kiev, 28 September 2004 Hubert Linssen General Delegate

2. © International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2004 Page 2 1948 - IRU founded in Geneva1948 - IRU founded in Geneva 1956 - IRU Liaison Committee established1956 - IRU Liaison Committee established 1973 - IRU Liaison Committee to the EU established in Brussels1973 - IRU Liaison Committee to the EU established in Brussels 1998 - IRU Liaison Committee to the CIS established in Moscow1998 - IRU Liaison Committee to the CIS established in Moscow 1948 - IRU founded in Geneva1948 - IRU founded in Geneva 1956 - IRU Liaison Committee established1956 - IRU Liaison Committee established 1973 - IRU Liaison Committee to the EU established in Brussels1973 - IRU Liaison Committee to the EU established in Brussels 1998 - IRU Liaison Committee to the CIS established in Moscow1998 - IRU Liaison Committee to the CIS established in Moscow Evolution of the IRU Structure

3. © International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2004 Page 3 Evolution of IRU Membership BelgiumDenmarkFranceNetherlands NorwaySwedenUKSwitzerland Laeremans 2004 174 Members 67 Countries Created 1948 8 Founder States:

4. © International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2004 Page 4 Main Areas of IRU Activity  Representing Road Transport Industry (Employers) worldwide  Leadership for the Road Transport Industry in key issues  Managing the TIR system administration  Commercial Services to the Road Transport Industry through separate companies, such as  Providing Information Services for Members, via  Representing Road Transport Industry (Employers) worldwide  Leadership for the Road Transport Industry in key issues  Managing the TIR system administration  Commercial Services to the Road Transport Industry through separate companies, such as  Providing Information Services for Members, via Vialtis www.iru.org

5. © International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2004 Page 5 Sustainable Development  Technical progress to build more efficient vehicles and less polluting fuels  Improved logistics process  Improved intermodal cooperation  Technical progress to build more efficient vehicles and less polluting fuels  Improved logistics process  Improved intermodal cooperation For the IRU, the promotion of sustainable development should include:

6. © International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2004 Page 6 Intermodal transport  Road is complementary and indispensable, with rail, maritime or inland waterways, for transport over long distances  The importance of reinforcing links between Europe and Asia  Road is complementary and indispensable, with rail, maritime or inland waterways, for transport over long distances  The importance of reinforcing links between Europe and Asia

7. © International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2004 Page 7 Combined Transport (1)  The IRU supports combined transport as a complete transport management system supplementing traditional road transport  There are no economically viable alternatives to road over short distances – road is always the indispensable partner in all types or road transport.  The IRU supports combined transport as a complete transport management system supplementing traditional road transport  There are no economically viable alternatives to road over short distances – road is always the indispensable partner in all types or road transport.

8. © International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2004 Page 8 Combined Transport (2)  The transport of dangerous goods – a good example of combined transport using rail-road – especially over trans-continental distances  Specific problems subsist at terminals which prevent more use of combined transport  The transport of dangerous goods – a good example of combined transport using rail-road – especially over trans-continental distances  Specific problems subsist at terminals which prevent more use of combined transport

9. © International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2004 Page 9 Intermodal transhipping (1)  Lack of facilities for intermodal transhipping and red tape at border crossings are prejudicial to international trade and combined transport  Rail is only an option if the following are avoided: fractioning of shipments fractioning of shipments delays delays damage to goodsdamage to goods  Lack of facilities for intermodal transhipping and red tape at border crossings are prejudicial to international trade and combined transport  Rail is only an option if the following are avoided: fractioning of shipments fractioning of shipments delays delays damage to goodsdamage to goods

10. © International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2004 Page 10 Intermodal transhipping (2)  Multi-modal platforms must be developed with: Reception and information servicesReception and information services Parking areas for heavy goods vehiclesParking areas for heavy goods vehicles Freight officeFreight office Transit centreTransit centre WarehousesWarehouses Container loading and unloading installationsContainer loading and unloading installations  Multi-modal platforms must be developed with: Reception and information servicesReception and information services Parking areas for heavy goods vehiclesParking areas for heavy goods vehicles Freight officeFreight office Transit centreTransit centre WarehousesWarehouses Container loading and unloading installationsContainer loading and unloading installations

11. © International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2004 Page 11 Combined Transport risks  Rail-road, sea-road, river-road combined services all incur increased costs through: Load fractioningLoad fractioning Increased risk of damage to goodsIncreased risk of damage to goods Lengthy delaysLengthy delays Imprecise timingsImprecise timings Lack of technical harmonisation (boxes)Lack of technical harmonisation (boxes) Lack of legal harmonisationLack of legal harmonisation Red tape at bordersRed tape at borders  Rail-road, sea-road, river-road combined services all incur increased costs through: Load fractioningLoad fractioning Increased risk of damage to goodsIncreased risk of damage to goods Lengthy delaysLengthy delays Imprecise timingsImprecise timings Lack of technical harmonisation (boxes)Lack of technical harmonisation (boxes) Lack of legal harmonisationLack of legal harmonisation Red tape at bordersRed tape at borders

12. © International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2004 Page 12 Priorities for governments  Governments must : Encourage the establishment of international facilitation measuresEncourage the establishment of international facilitation measures Remove obstacles at bordersRemove obstacles at borders Establish a legal regime for multimodal transport with sea linksEstablish a legal regime for multimodal transport with sea links Flexible transit conditionsFlexible transit conditions Harmonised and flexible border crossing conditionsHarmonised and flexible border crossing conditions  Governments must : Encourage the establishment of international facilitation measuresEncourage the establishment of international facilitation measures Remove obstacles at bordersRemove obstacles at borders Establish a legal regime for multimodal transport with sea linksEstablish a legal regime for multimodal transport with sea links Flexible transit conditionsFlexible transit conditions Harmonised and flexible border crossing conditionsHarmonised and flexible border crossing conditions

13. © International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2004 Page 13 Conclusion (1) National Authorities, together with IRU Member Associations present in the Euro-Asian region, must take steps to promote road transport, as well as its modal partners, and remove remaining obstacles to respond to needs to develop commercial and economic relations between Asia and Europe.

14. © International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2004 Page 14 Conclusion (2)  Innovations to develop ever more effective at source technical measures and operating practices  Incentives to encourage transport operators to accelerate the introduction of the best available technology and practices for combined transport  Infrastructure to remove bottlenecks and missing links on Euro-Asian transport corridors  Innovations to develop ever more effective at source technical measures and operating practices  Incentives to encourage transport operators to accelerate the introduction of the best available technology and practices for combined transport  Infrastructure to remove bottlenecks and missing links on Euro-Asian transport corridors The IRU’s 3 “i” strategy: