Facilitating Trade on the Silk Road Economic Belt
Facilitating Trade on the Silk Road Economic Belt through the TIR System Shanghai, 17 th June 2014 Cédric Oelhafen – Project Director
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 2
This is the IRU 3
Evolution of IRU Membership 2014: 170 Members in 75 countries 1948: eight founder countries …and CRIPA: 27 Members + FESARTA in 38 countries 4
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 5
Securing and facilitating trade and international road transport Transports Internationaux Routiers Managed by the IRU since 1949 6
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 7
Geographical Scope of the TIR Convention 8
WHAT IS THE TIR SYSTEM VIDEO 9
The Six Pillars of the TIR System 10
Benefits of the TIR System Secures and facilitates trade through the implementation of harmonised controls & documents Ensure the secure and sustainable development of international trade and road transport (controlled access, traceability) Through mutual recognition of Customs Controls and the guarantee, transport costs, formalities and delays are reduced Gives access to 58 TIR operational countries 11
TIR Today Ø 3 million TIR operations per year Ø Main users are Turkey, EU and CIS countries Ø New usage of TIR develops notably through intermodal transport Ø Geographic expansion of TIR to China, the Arab Peninsula, South America and Africa 12
TIR的扩展 2013年 9月 –阿富汗对TIR开放 Since 2013 – Cooperation increased between China and IRU towards China’s accession to the TIR Convention 2014年 4月 – 阿联酋海关签署了担保协议 2014年 4月 – 巴基斯坦确认即将加入TIR 阿根廷、巴西、伊拉克、沙特阿拉伯和许多非洲国家纷纷表示了对 TIR的 兴趣 13
Current Developments in China Ø Strategy to revive the ancient Silk Road Ø Major investments in Western China Ø Need to find more effective alternatives to air / sea transport Ø Investments in road infrastructure in Eastern China and Kazakhstan Ø New routes under finalisation between Lianyungang and Northern Europe through Kazakhstan 14
Common Vision: Revitalising the Silk Road China’s accession into TIR = potential to further develop maritime transport, road transport and international trade 15
Results of IRU Caravans Clearly in Favour of TIR The Lisbon-Vladivostok Caravan The Beijing-Berlin-Brussels Caravan Black Sea Highway Caravan IRU-ECO Silk Road Truck Caravan 16
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 17
TIR for Intermodal Transport • 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) 18
Potential for Intermodal TIR 19
Intermodal TIR benefits ü Improved traffic flow in ports ü Customs procedures lighter with transit than with import/export ü Shorter overall transport ü Secure transit system and cost-efficient international guarantee ü TIR Guarantee covering whole load compartment, simplifying clearance 20
The IRU TIR Intermodal Program § 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 21
Conclusions • 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 22
CONTACT INFORMATION TIR-IN-CHINA@IRU. ORG +86 -185 1085 2972 23
- Slides: 24