In 2007, UNECE worked relentlessly to continue to develop a pan-European regulatory framework for inland transport, including road, rail, water and intermodal transport. This effort mainly focused on negotiation and management of international agreements, conventions, norms and standards. These negotiated legal instruments provide a foundation upon which UNECE constituents can build up coherent, efficient and safe transport systems. In addition to facilitating closer integration, the UNECE work contributed to the construction of safer and less polluting vehicles, more effective traffic rules as well as simplified border crossing procedures.
In 2007, the number of countries that became Parties to the UNECE international transport agreements and conventions increased by 23, of which nine were non-UNECE member countries. This is partly due to promotion undertaken in 2007 when more than 50 advisory missions and capacity building activities were carried out with hundreds of experts from the public and private sectors attending.
Major achievements in 2007
In the area of road transport, UNECE continued to develop its legal instruments to facilitate international transport. Of particular significance is the AETR Agreement which is being revised to correspond to the EU provisions related to driving and rest periods. A CMR Convention Protocol was also developed to introduce the possibility of using electronic consignment notes.
In the area of road safety new recommendations were adopted in 2007 dealing with speed, use of mobile phones while driving, safety of children, contents of the first-aid kit required in vehicles, safety of two-wheelers and methods of influencing behaviour on the road. Consolidated versions of the Vienna Conventions on Road Traffic and on Road Signs and Signals (and the related European Agreements) were issued. In 2007, the UNECE also published a report about “Statistics of Road Traffic Accidents”.
The Transport Division took an active part organizing the First United Nations Global Road Safety Week in cooperation with the World Health Organization and the other United Nations regional commissions. The World Youth Assembly and the Second Global Stakeholders Forum were held in April in the Palais des Nations, Geneva.
With respect to dangerous goods, the fifteenth revised edition of the “Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, Model Regulations”, Amendment 2 to the fourth revised edition of the “Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, Manual of Tests and Criteria” and the second revised edition of the “Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS)” were consolidated and published in all official United Nations languages. Amendments were adopted regulating the transport of dangerous goods by road (ADR), rail (RID) and inland waterways (ADN). A Roundtable to discuss “the effectiveness of UNECE legal instruments, increased safety and facilitation of international transport” was organized on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the ADR. For transport of perishables, amendments to the ATP Agreement were also adopted.
In 2007, the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations continued to update the existing regulations and adopted new ones to improve the safety of vehicles and their environmental performance. The European Union increased the use of regulations adopted by the World Forum raising their total number to 108. The European Commission continued to follow the recommendations of the report of a Competitive Automotive Regulatory System for the 21st century (CARS 21) for the replacement of 37 directives concerning vehicle construction by reference to UNECE regulations. In 2007, a Fuel Quality Round Table recommended the establishment of a study group to consider the possibility of developing fuel quality standards to further improve the environmental performance.
In the field of border crossing facilitation, work continued on the computerization of the TIR Convention (“eTIR system”), which aims at providing a Customs-to-Customs information exchange system as well as a system for the management of financial guarantee data. In 2007, the Working Party on Customs Questions affecting Transport and the TIR Administrative Committee adopted and endorsed the basic level requirements of the eTIR system and mandated the elaboration of technical specifications. The UNECE secretariat, in cooperation with the TIR Executive Board, organized a successful training seminar about the approval and control of TIR vehicles.
In 2007, the Inland Transport Committee reviewed its work in the area of transport security and, stressing the importance of this issue, established a multidisciplinary group of experts. The Expert Group has taken stock of the different initiatives on land transport security – regulatory initiatives at the international, national and industry levels
– and has started to prepare proposals for further improvements. It is expected to complete its work and submit a final report in early 2008.
The project on transport and trade of radioactive scrap metal was completed and recommendations about prevention, detection and response procedures were published. Following the development of a training and capacity building strategy by the UNECE secretariat, the International Atomic Energy Agency will continue to work on regulatory, safety and security issues in this field.
In 2007, the first progress report about the implementation of the priority projects identified by the TEM and TER Master Plan was elaborated along with comparison of the Master Plan Backbone Networks with the E-Networks. UNECE actively cooperated with other regional commissions such as UNESCAP, UNESCWA and UNECA in developing interregional transport links.
The joint UNECE-UNESCAP Project to develop Euro-Asian Transport Links as part of a global United Nations Development Account Capacity-building Project was completed. The results included the identification of main Euro-Asian inland transport routes, prioritization of a number of infrastructure projects, development
of a GIS database, analysis of non-physical obstacles, organization of six national capacity-building workshops and a final UNECE-UNESCAP study.
The UNECE work on rail transport included new amendments to Annex II of the AGC and a workshop to exchange experiences and lessons in organizing demonstration runs of container block-trains. Work continues to further harmonize different rail transport legal systems and to promote rail interoperability in the UNECE region.
UNECE published revised pan-European rules about the navigation of inland water vessels and prepared amendments to the AGN. In close cooperation with relevant organizations and river commissions, UNECE began to implement decisions of the 2006 Pan-European Conference on Inland Water Transport.
Major challenges for 2008
The overall challenge will be to continue improving the efficiency, safety, environmental protection and security of transport. This will be done by amending the relevant UNECE international legal instruments in cooperation with various United Nations agencies, other international organizations as well as NGOs representing the transport and transport equipment industry, businesses, road users and consumers.
Concerning the harmonization of vehicle regulations, the World Forum will continue to update its regulations and will make further efforts to increase the participation of new countries. In this context, a conference is being organized to provide a new impulse for Asian countries to accede to the Agreements administered by the World Forum.
In the area of transport of dangerous goods, the challenge will be to take into account the entry into force of ADN, finalization of a set of amendments to ADR and ADN as well as conditions for its entry into force by 1 January 2009.
In the area of the transport of perishable foodstuffs, challenges will include the incorporation of references to less polluting vehicles and fuels in the ATP Agreement.
Concerning road safety, the United Nations Development Project, Improving Global Road Safety: setting regional and national road traffic casualty reduction targets, will be implemented in 2008-2009 by UNECE in cooperation with other regional commissions and other international partners. This projects aims to assist low and middle income countries to develop road safety targets and to provide them with examples of good road safety practices. Moreover, the UNECE will be involved in the preparation of a Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety which is expected to be held in 2009. Within this framework, a preparatory meeting will be organized for the UNECE region.
In the area of road transport, the challenge will be to adopt the amendments to the AETR on driving and rest periods. Concerning the CMR, a signing ceremony for the new Protocol to the Convention on electronic consignment notes will be organized in May 2008.
The work on customs questions affecting transport will aim at strengthening the TIR system by means of improving transparency in the management of the guarantee system. Working towards the implementation of the eTIR system will continue to be a major challenge while promotion of the TIR system as a truly global transit system will be pursued.
UNECE will continue to provide a platform to exchange information and best practices in the transport chains and logistics field. The UNECE will be challenged to identify performance parameters and benchmarks to monitor and to measure the provision of efficient and sustainable logistics and transport chains.
A meeting of Ministers of Transport of Euro-Asian countries will be organized to ensure stronger political impetus to further development of the Euro-Asian Transport Links project as well as to obtain the necessary financing for Phase II (2008-2011).
In the area of transport trends and economics, two new expert groups may be established. The Group of Experts on Euro-Asian Transport Links could ensure the continuation of the Euro-Asian Transport Links project while that on hinterland connections of seaports could prepare recommendations on how to improve them. The development of appropriate statistical methodologies and terminologies will be pursued.
A major challenge in rail transport will be to ensure that some of the activities of the abolished ECMT Group on Railways are assumed by the UNECE. In addition, a possible revision of the AGC and accession of new contracting parties will continue to present a challenging task.
In 2008, high priority will be given to improving technical requirements and navigation rules for inland navigation. Work on facilitating the free movement of crew members across Europe will be intensified. Particular attention will be given to integrating environmental and security aspects. In 2008 UNECE will also start preparing a new edition of the White Book on Inland Navigation to promote the advantages of transport by inland waterway and indicate the problems it is facing in its development.
Cross-sectoral initiatives will be further strengthened through
- the Transport, Health and Environment Pan-European Programme (THE PEP) that will convene a High-level Meeting in 2008 and also through enhancing UNECE border crossing and trade facilitation cooperation;
- close cooperation with the Trade and Timber Division in the areas of trade and transport facilitation;
- close cooperation with the Economic Cooperation and Integration Division in the areas of Public-Private Partnerships;
- close cooperation with the Statistical Division to further improve transport statistics and their analyses.
The first Global Conference of Transport Ministers organized by the International Transport Forum will take place in 2008, on the topic of global warming and transport. UNECE will contribute to this high-level political debate and will find ways for appropriate follow-up through its working parties.
| ADN |
European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Inland
Waterways |
| ADR |
European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road |
| AETR |
European Agreement concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport |
| AGC |
European Agreement on Main International Railway Lines |
| AGN |
European Agreement on Main Inland Waterways of International Importance |
| ATP |
Agreement on the International Carriage of Perishable Foodstuffs and on the Special Equipment to be used for Such Carriage |
| CMR |
Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road |
| ECMT |
European Conference of Ministers of Transport |
| GIS |
Geographic information system |
| RID |
European Agreement Concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail |
| TEM |
Trans-European Motorway |
| TER |
Trans-European Railway |
| TIR Convention |
The Customs Convention on the International Transport of Goods under Cover of TIR Carnets |
| UNECA |
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa |
| UNESCAP |
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific |
| UNESCWA |
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia |