Overview of main UNECE road transport facilitation instruments

1. Seminar on Arab and International Road Transport Agreements Cairo, 25 and 26 October 2009 Overview of main UNECE road transport facilitation instruments

2. The UNECE • Set up in 1947 by the UN ECOSOC • Original mandate: To assist reconstruction and the economic development of Europe • Aim today: To develop economic activity and strengthen economic relations within the UNECE region and the rest of the world • UNECE one of the five regional UN commissions

3. The UNECE • 55 States Members, including all European States, CIS, USA and Canada • Neutral, Euro-Asian, Trans-Atlantic • Intergovernmental cooperation in areas of economy, including Transport • UNECE secretariat in Geneva: 200 people

4. The UNECE • Environment & Human Settlements • Statistics • Sustainable Energy • Trade & Timber • Transport • Technical Cooperation

5. Transport: a strategic responsibility of Governments • Vital to trade and tourism • Essential to growth and competitiveness, reduces disparities among regions • International transport is a key to international trade, exports and imports, integration • Requires intergovernmental cooperation

6. The UNECE Inland Transport Committee (ITC) • Pioneer in international transport cooperation • Aim: facilitates international transport, Improves safety and environment • Government transport experts • Stakeholders, governments and NGOs • Meets once a year, consensus decisions • Secretariat: UNECE Transport Division

7. Outcome of the Inland Transport Committee • 56 Agreements and Conventions • Legally binding • Concluded under UNECE auspices • Elaborated by consensus • UN Legal Procedures • Main text and one or several Annexes • Amended as the needs arise • Recommendations, Resolutions

8. Outcome of the Inland Transport Committee (2) • Open to all UN Member States • Many non-ECE States are already Parties • The UN Secretary-General is the Depositary • To become a Party, deposit an instrument with the S-G. • No accession fee

9. Main UNECE Agreements and Conventions on Transport • International Infrastructure Networks • International Highway Code • Regulations for Safe and Clean Vehicles • Border Crossing Facilitation • Rules for Safe Carriage of Dangerous Goods • Others

10. Convention on Road Traffic, 1968 Objectives: • To facilitate international road traffic, trade and tourism • To increase road safety • Through internationally agreed traffic rules and the reciprocal recognition of documents issued in conformity with those rules (vehicle certificates and driving permits)

12. Convention on Road Signs and Signals, 1968 Objectives • To facilitate international road traffic, trade and tourism • To increase road safety • Through internationally agreed road traffic signs and signals (over 200 reference signs and signals)

13. Road Signs: Examples

15. TIR Convention, 1975 Please see a presentation this afternoon!

16. Convention on the Harmonization of Frontier Controls of Goods, 1982 Objective • To facilitate cross border transport of goods • Through nationally coordinated, internationally harmonized, shorter, reduced formalities and controls on goods at borders Benefits • Shorter border delays and lower transport/trade costs • Lower border operating costs for State budget • More efficient investments in border facilities

18. Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Good by Road (CMR), 1956 Objectives • To facilitate international road transport • Through a commonly agreed transport contract, including contract document and liabilities Benefits • Fair competition between carriers • Lower international road transport costs, including insurance costs

20. Customs Conventions on Temporary Importation of Private/Commercial Road Vehicles (1954 and 1956) Objective • To facilitate temporary admission of road vehicles registered in another country • Through agreed procedures and in cooperation with road users associations, AIT/FIA Benefits • Internationally agreed procedure • No payment of vehicle import taxes • Shorter border delays, lower travel costs

22. Customs Convention on Containers, 1972 Objective • To facilitate the temporary admission in a country of containers registered in another country by deferring payment of taxes and duties Benefits • Minimum border procedures, Deferred payment of Customs taxes and duties • Recovery of Customs duties if no re-export • Facilitated international goods transport

24. Agreement on the International Carriage of Perishable Foodstuffs and on the Special Equipment to be used for such Carriage (ATP), 1970 Objectives • To facilitate international transport of perishable foodstuffs • To ensure a high level of preservation of quality of perishable foodstuffs during their carriage Benefits • Preserved quality of foods during carriage avoids refusal at borders, diseases • Trade of perishable foodstuffs is facilitated

26. European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR), 1957 Objectives • To increase safety of international road transport • To ensure the highest possible safety in the transport of dangerous goods by road in economically sustainable conditions Benefits • High level of safety and security • Mutual recognition of certificates • Facilitated transport and trade of dangerous goods • Harmonization with other transport mode regulations (sea, air, rail, inland waterways) • Possibility of use for national regulations

28. About Implementation • International Conventions on transport can yield substantial benefits to Member States • For this to happen, they must be fully and effectively implemented • Implementation is the responsibility of Contracting Parties • Within its limited resources, UNECE: • Promotes accession and implementation • Provides technical assistance and advise in ECE • Monitors implementation (whenever possible)

29. http://www.unece.org