Facilitating Trade on the Silk Road Economic Belt through the
TIR System Shanghai, 17 th June 2014 Cdric Oelhafen Project
Director
Slide 2
2 This is the IRU Uphold the interests of bus, coach, taxi and
truck operators to ensure economic growth and prosperity via the
sustainable mobility of people and goods by road worldwide. Mission
UN Mandate Managed by the IRU since 1949
Slide 3
3 This is the IRU
Slide 4
4 Evolution of IRU Membership 2014: 170 Members in 75 countries
1948: eight founder countries and CRIPA: 27 Members + FESARTA in 38
countries
Slide 5
5 IRU Secretariat General 1948 IRU founded in Geneva 1973 IRU
Permanent Delegation to the European Union in Brussels 1998 IRU
Permanent Delegation to Eurasia in Moscow 2005 IRU Permanent
Delegation to the Middle East and Region in Istanbul 2012 IRU
Secretariat for Africa in Geneva 2013 IRU Permanent Delegation to
the United Nations in New-York Next Steps Office in China
Slide 6
6 Securing and facilitating trade and international road
transport Transports Internationaux Routiers Managed by the IRU
since 1949
Slide 7
7 What is the TIR System? A tried and tested, affordable
facilitation instrument for international transport and trade
Global Intermodal (road-rail, road-maritime) Secure Based on TIR
Convention of 1975, signed by 68 contracting parties
Slide 8
8 Geographical Scope of the TIR Convention
Slide 9
9 W HAT IS THE TIR S YSTEM V IDEO
Slide 10
10 The Six Pillars of the TIR System
Slide 11
11 Benefits of the TIR System Ensure the secure and sustainable
development of international trade and road transport (controlled
access, traceability) Gives access to 58 TIR operational countries
Through mutual recognition of Customs Controls and the guarantee,
transport costs, formalities and delays are reduced Secures and
facilitates trade through the implementation of harmonised controls
& documents
Slide 12
12 3 million TIR operations per year Main users are Turkey, EU
and CIS countries New usage of TIR develops notably through
intermodal transport Geographic expansion of TIR to China, the Arab
Peninsula, South America and Africa TIR Today
Slide 13
13 TIR 2013 9 TIR Since 2013 Cooperation increased between
China and IRU towards Chinas accession to the TIR Convention 2014 4
TIR 2014 4 TIR
Slide 14
14 Strategy to revive the ancient Silk Road Major investments
in Western China Need to find more effective alternatives to air /
sea transport Investments in road infrastructure in Eastern China
and Kazakhstan New routes under finalisation between Lianyungang
and Northern Europe through Kazakhstan Current Developments in
China
Slide 15
15 Common Vision: Revitalising the Silk Road Chinas accession
into TIR = potential to further develop maritime transport, road
transport and international trade
Slide 16
16 The Lisbon-Vladivostok CaravanThe Beijing-Berlin-Brussels
Caravan IRU-ECO Silk Road Truck Caravan Results of IRU Caravans
Clearly in Favour of TIR Black Sea Highway Caravan
Slide 17
17 IRU New Eurasian Land Transport Initiative (NELTI) From
September 2008 Monitoring over 200,000 border crossings 57% of
transport time lost at border crossings 38% of transport costs due
to unofficial levies
Slide 18
18 The TIR Convention provides for intermodal use of the TIR
Carnet: TIR applies as long as one leg of the journey is carried
out by road TIR guarantee covers road legs of itinerary, and is
suspended on sea or rail legs Successful applications of TIR for
intermodal transport include: RO/RO transports through ferry
services mainly in Mediterranean Block trains (ECO region) TIR for
Intermodal Transport
Slide 19
19 Potential for Intermodal TIR
Slide 20
20 Improved traffic flow in ports Customs procedures lighter
with transit than with import/export Shorter overall transport
Secure transit system and cost-efficient international guarantee
TIR Guarantee covering whole load compartment, simplifying
clearance Intermodal TIR benefits
Slide 21
21 Facilitate Intermodal traffic with TIR Improve sea-road
interface in ports with help of terminal operators, Customs and
port authorities Develop TIR in ports with active RO/RO lines
Identify areas where TIR could provide further benefits Improve
electronic data exchanges between stakeholders Share experiences
and draft Intermodal TIR best practices Prepare entry of China and
Latin America into the TIR system Develop an efficient TIR
intermodal procedure for containers that benefits all key
stakeholders of the intermodal transport supply chain Participate
with stakeholders in joint studies, pilots and field visits The IRU
TIR Intermodal Program
Slide 22
22 Faster and cheaper delivery of goods for the benefit of
producers and consumer Improvement of efficiency and
competitiveness Expansion of TIR System to China will have positive
effect on international trade More efficient road transport between
China and existing TIR countries (through Central Asia) Development
of intermodal TIR to benefit wider group of trading partners with
China and other stakeholders Opportunity for other Asian countries
to increase their trade to existing TIR countries through China
Conclusions
Slide 23
23 C ONTACT I NFORMATION T IR - IN - CHINA @ IRU. ORG +86-185
1085 2972
