Press Release

[Index]

Successful training seminar on the approval and control of
TIR vehicles

Geneva, 2 October 2007 -- The UNECE secretariat, in cooperation with the TIR Executive Board, organized a capacity building training seminar on the approval and control of TIR vehicles at the Palais des Nations, on 24 September 2007. About 100 representatives from Customs authorities, ministries of transport and the transport industry attended.

The TIR Convention, administered by the UNECE and the International Road Transport Union, facilitates the movement of goods across as many borders as necessary with limited intervention by Customs authorities at intermediate borders. To this end operators use a commonly accepted Customs transit document – the TIR Carnet – which also serves as a guarantee for the Customs duties and taxes. The transport of goods under cover of a TIR Carnet is only allowed when using vehicles which have been approved as being in conformity with the technical standards stipulated by the TIR Convention.

Currently, the TIR Convention has 68 Contracting Parties and covers Europe, North America and several countries in South America. It also increasingly reaches out to countries in North Africa, the Middle East and Asia. In providing Customs and trade a simple, yet effective and globally applicable transit system at a competitive price, the TIR Convention has become one of the most successful transport and transit systems in the world, creating a bridge between east and west, rich and poor. Annually, more than 3 million international transports are carried out by more than 40,000 transport operations utilizing the TIR Convention.

During the full day seminar, participants were trained on how to properly interpret and apply the technical standards of construction and approval required under the TIR Convention. It has been emphasized that vehicles should be secure to ensure that cargo shipped at departure is the cargo that arrives at the place of destination: it is neither lost on the way in transit, nor new “cargo” is added. Examples of vehicles that do not comply with the relevant technical provisions were presented, and delegates received hands-on instructions on how to check vehicles and loading units for compliance.

The danger of using non-compliant vehicles and containers was highlighted as a potential source of great damage to the TIR system.

The seminar called on competent national authorities to recognize the importance of technical approval and inspection and to verify and further improve their existing national standards of technical approval and inspection of TIR vehicles. Extensive staff training, by the competent technical authorities and Customs, to correctly apply the TIR Convention, was considered a priority.

More information about the TIR Convention is available from: http://www.unece.org/tir/welcome.html.

Or contact:

Ms. Eva Molnar, Director or
Robert Nowak, Economic Affairs Officer,
Transport Division
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

Phone: +41 (0) 22 917 24 00 /917 12 67
Fax: +41 (0) 22 917 00 39
E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]