BSEC-URTA's Voice on the Meeting of the BSEC Ministers in Charge of Transport

Meeting of the Ministers in charge of Transport of the BSEC Member States took place in Boulevard Hotel in Baku, Azerbaijan on 25 October 2018. BSEC-URTA Secretary General, Mr. Adrian Albu, participated the meeting. He addressed the attendees with the following speech:

“Your Excellency Mr. Chairman, Your Excellencies Ministers in Charge of Transport of BSEC Member States, Distinguish Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am much honoured to address you on behalf of the International Road Transport Union (IRU) and of the Union of Road Transport Associations in the BSEC region (BSEC-URTA) on the occasion of this very important ministerial meeting for the transport sector of the Black Sea region.

The road transport sector from the Black Sea region is the beneficiary of the improvements of road infrastructure and transport procedures foreseen under the provisions of the BSEC Memorandum of understanding on Coordinated Development of the Black Sea Ring Highway and of the BSEC Memorandum of understanding on Facilitation of Road Transport of Goods.

After 11 years from signature in 2007 in Belgrade, the route of the Ring Highway is still under consideration and the implementation of the timetable for the objectives foreseen under the MoU on facilitation of Road Transport of Goods signed by your Excellencies in Kiev in 2002 has deadlines not yet met.

The impact of these delays has effect on the international road transport of goods as well as on the international trade of our countries.

A survey on border crossing delays circulated by BSEC-URTA in the BSEC countries revealed that high waiting times over 12 hours are observed at the border crossing points along main transport corridors connecting  Europe to Asia and Middle East through our region. Main reasons of such high waiting times are connected with the infrastructure along the two sides of the border which is not always matching and procedures which are not always performed in accordance with the UNECE, WTO, WCO agreements and conventions or BSEC instruments such as transport related Memoranda.

In this regard the last BSEC-URTA General Assembly held on 5 October 2018 adopted a Resolution which was already submitted to UNECE and BSEC Member States and was presented yesterday to BSEC Working Group on Transport.

We sincerely believe that a true public-private partnership between all stakeholders: BSEC governments, international organizations and road transport sector could bring solutions for improvement in this regard.

It is necessary and it's the right time to cooperate for implementation of electronic solutions for the road transport such as eTIR, eCMR, eBSEC Permit and eVisa for drivers which could very much speed up the international transport and the trade between our countries.

It is a pleasure, Mr. Chairman, to recall the meeting with your Excellency on 4 September 2018, your approach and support in usage such e-transport related documents as soon as possible.

At the same time we very much rely on Your Excellencies’ involvement and support of such initiatives.

On this occasion we would like to very much thank Azeri Chairmanship for the excellent organization of these events and the high hospitality extended to us. Thank you.”