United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)

1. United Nations Economic Commission for Europe(UNECE) Non-Physical Obstacles and Security Risks to Transit Transport UNECE Transport Division

2. Structure of the Presentation • Overview of non-physical obstacles and security risks to international transport • Addressing obstacles and security risks to international transport • The findings of the TEM and TER Master Plan Conclusions UNECE Transport Division

3. Non-Physical Obstacles and Security Risks to International Transport (1) • Long procedures and controls (delays, costs) • Arbitrary, discriminatory and non cost-related transit taxes (deterrent for development of transport and trade, particularly for inexpensive commodities and landlocked countries) • Heterogeneous transport regulations(road traffic rules, road signs, driving permits, etc.) UNECE Transport Division

4. Non-Physical Obstacles and Security Risks to International Transport (2) • Security risks: • Theft of vehicles, Attacks to drivers • Attacks to key infrastructures • Theft of dangerous substances • Organized crime, International terrorism • Illegal traffic of persons and/or goods UNECE Transport Division

5. Addressing Non-Physical Obstacles, Security Risks to international transport • UNECE Agreements & Conventions facilitate transport while providing safety and security • Legally binding • Elaborated by consensus • Follow well-established UN legal procedures UNECE Transport Division

6. Addressing Non-Physical Obstacles, Security Risks to international transport To remove non-physical obstacles while providing security at borders: • TIR Convention, of 1975 • Harmonization of Frontier Controls of Goods UNECE Transport Division

7. Addressing Non-Physical Obstacles, Security Risks to international transport To harmonize road traffic and improve safety: • Conventions on Road Traffic and on Road Signs and Signals, of 1968 • Work of Crews of Vehicles engaged in International Road Transport (AETR) UNECE Transport Division

8. Addressing Non-Physical Obstacles, Security Risks to international transport For safety and security rules for the transport of dangerous goods: • Agreement on the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR) UNECE Transport Division

9. Findings of the TEM&TER Master Plan • Separate examination for TEM and TER networks • Inventory of border crossing points (1st Step) • Identification of border problems (2nd Step) • Separation of problems origins (3rd Step) • Recommendations (4th Step) UNECE Transport Division

10. TEM Border Crossing Issues. Inventory by origin (1) Infrastructure • Unsuitable and insufficient capacity of border posts • Obsolete and poor quality facilities • Inadaquate equipment • No separate lanes for transit traffic and empty vehicles • Under-sized access roads to border posts and insufficient parking space at borders UNECE Transport Division

11. TEM Border Crossing Issues. Inventory by origin (2) Procedures (1) • Long and often over-complex procedures • Insufficient computerization of control procedures • Systematic control of all vehicles instead of risk management based techniques • Complex and often contentious procedures for weighing • Absence of non-stop veterinary and phytosanitary controls UNECE Transport Division

12. TEM Border Crossing Issues. Inventory by origin (3) Procedures (2) • Additional controls of doubtful necessity, such as radioactivity controls at some borders • Lack of coordination between customs administrations of adjacent countries, insufficient exchange of information • Insufficient cooperation between national authorities responsible for controls • Non-compliance with TIR procedures UNECE Transport Division

13. TEM Border Crossing Issues. Inventory by origin (4) Procedures (3) • Failure to provide information to professionals-private sector • Changes without notice of the procedures used • Compulsory convoys of vehicles • Imposition of compulsory pay services using "commercial" structures established at border crossing points • Proliferation of taxes, duties and fees UNECE Transport Division

14. TEM Border Crossing Issues. Inventory by origin (5) Staff • Shortage of control personnel • Low productivity • Non-continuous working hours • Lack of skills and training • Lack of continuity in the management of controls due to a high level of staff rotation at all levels • Inappropriate behavior of some officials UNECE Transport Division

15. TEM Border Crossing Recommendations for Improvement (1) General remarks • Simplification and harmonization - main target • Focus in the implementation of UNECE agreements • Anticipation of future growth in trade flows, investing in advance in improved infrastructure, procedures and training • Close cooperation of governments to reduce border crossing problems, which are barriers to development UNECE Transport Division

16. TEM Border Crossing Recommendations for Improvement (2) Infrastructure • Improving facilities at borders • Providing a sufficient number of queues and windows • Improving access to border crossings by widening roads and creating additional lanes UNECE Transport Division

17. TEM Border Crossing Recommendations for Improvement (3) Procedures (1) • Introducing common customs posts and controls carried out jointly • Transferring of control procedures to sites inside the country (especially for transit) or at the place of destination • Introducing new, simplified control procedures • Complying strictly with the provisions of the TIR Convention UNECE Transport Division

18. TEM Border Crossing Recommendations for Improvement (4) Procedures (2) • Simplification and harmonization of weighing procedures • Improving coordination between customs authorities of neighboring countries • Creating cooperation between national administrations • Simplifying and, if possible, reducing of taxes, fees and duties charged at border crossings • Facilitating the issuance of visas to professional drivers • Improving communication with the private sector UNECE Transport Division

19. TEM Border Crossing Recommendations for Improvement (5) Staff • Increasing the number of personnel • Failing 24/24 opening, alignment of border post opening times • Training of control personnel • Motivating of control officials • Fighting against corruption UNECE Transport Division

20. TER Border Crossing Problems (1) Introduction The work is based: - In the results of the permanent monitoring system developed under TER in the last 4 years - In follow up of developments and progress achieved in facilitation of rail border control in CEE - In close cooperation with UIC and the EC-Justice and Internal Affairs - In country inputs UNECE Transport Division

21. TER Border Crossing Problems (2) • Lack of adequate technology for the handling trains at the border (disposition of locomotives-late arrival of staff-Insufficient coordination and management) • Inadequate cooperation among those involved • Lack or insufficient rules on relations between railway administrations and other institutions involved • Insufficient information on flows and transmission of data • Delays in completing the documents UNECE Transport Division

22. TER Border Crossing Problems (3) • Lack of adequate technology for the handling trains at the border (disposition of locomotives-late arrival of staff-Insufficient coordination and management) • Inadequate cooperation among those involved • Lack or insufficient rules on relations between railway administrations and other institutions involved • Insufficient information on flows and transmission of data • Delays in completing the documents UNECE Transport Division

23. TER Border Recommendations (1) • Establishment of Railway Working Groups on a bilateral and/or multilateral basis • Better communication among those involved • Adoption and implement the best practices developed in the field • Border control procedures should be organized during the running train UNECE Transport Division

24. TER Border Recommendations (2) • Transfer of non-railway procedures, including customs formalities to origin and destination stations • For combined transport, transfer of all customs and border control operations, including veterinary or phytosanitary at the loading and unloading points • Improvement of technical facilities on border points • Introduction of performance indicators to monitor future progress on border crossing UNECE Transport Division

25. Conclusions (1) • Non-physical obstacles and security risks to transit transport are challenging the economic development of Euro-Asian countries • Implementation of internationally agreed measures and close cooperation among countries is needed UNECE Transport Division

26. Conclusions (2) • UNECE legal instruments are the tools to address some of these problems • The TEM and TER work could be used as a starting point for further actions UNECE Transport Division

27. Thank you www.unece.org/trans UNECE Transport Division