International Road Transport Union (IRU) Meeting of Ministers of Transport of countries in the Euro-Asian Region Palais des Nations, Geneva, 19 February 2008 Janusz Lacny President International Road Transport Union (IRU) © International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

UNECE 60 years 1947-2007 © International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

IRU – 60 years of Public-Private Partnership © International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

Evolution of IRU Membership 2008 180 Members 72 Countries Created 1948 8 Founder States: Belgium Denmark France Netherlands Norway Sweden UK Switzerland © International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

The combined efforts of 29 companies in 18 countries What is Globalisation? What does it take to have a cup of coffee in a café? The combined efforts of 29 companies in 18 countries Road transport has become a vital production tool! Source: IRU © International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

Evolution of sea containers in ports in 1971 The container movements in the main ports started with the birth of world containerisation in the 1970s. In the 1970s, it was a high number of ports linked with a high number of small container vessels. © International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

Evolution of sea containers in ports in 1980 In the 1980s, there were bigger vessels and only five ports were emerging – New York and Rotterdam were the biggest. Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Singapore were emerging. © International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

Evolution of sea containers in ports in 1990 In the 1990s the same trend continued. The huge growth in Asian trade was and remains by the Pacific route to California. © International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

Evolution of sea containers in ports in 2000 In 2000, due to globalisation, the same trend continued at an even higher speed, mainly in the Asian ports. The Asian ports, due to the lack of road infrastructure, exploded in volume. © International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

Evolution of sea containers in ports in 2006 The 2006 situation shows clearly why we have such massive congestion in all the main ports. The concentration of trade in a few ports generates not only bottlenecks, congestion and delays but above all additional costs! This concentration of 80% of world trade in very few ports also creates a desertification of trade development in numerous regions that most require economic, social and political stability. Our dream is to create, with road transport, peace and prosperity not only in a handful of ports, but in all the other regions. © International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

Interconnecting all the businesses along the reopened Silk Road To CIS To EU To US To US To Mid East By doing so, we are not only transporting goods from China to the States, but we are interconnecting all the businesses along the 8,000 mile Silk Road, thus realising new business opportunities. In fact, by “looking West, young man”, you will also find your Middle Eastern markets, and we can interconnect all those businesses along that Middle East route, you can find your EU markets, and we can interconnect all the businesses along the EU route, you can find the CIS markets and we can interconnect all those businesses along the CIS route. ***** A truck is not a boat, it is not a train, it is not a plane. Truck service is not concentrated in a handful of ports. A truck is always, everywhere, at the disposal of everyone. Thus, “looking West”, you could find fabulous new business opportunities. Remember, a truck provides door-to-door service. A truck is therefore the best tool to unite people and to improve the distribution of wealth. You might be looking at me and saying, “Martin, you’re crazy!” But I say to you again, “wake up and smell the coffee, my dream has become reality.” 25% of world trade with neighbours sharing common border 50% of world trade between partners less than 3,000 km apart Trade between Canadian provinces 22 times greater than trade between a Canadian province and US state of similar size and distance Sea transport Land transport Key: © International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

Road transport tonnage distances in Europe © International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

It worked for Marco Polo If the Silk Road worked for Marco Polo then, why shouldn’t it work for trade and transport today? … I had a dream to reopen the ancient Silk Road, which has been closed despite modern transport technology for 700 years The Silk Road was closed firstly because sea transport was more competitive and less risky, secondly for political reasons, and thirdly because of ignorance. Today, I am here to make you “wake up and smell the coffee” or as Marco Polo said, “wake up and smell the espresso” © International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

Beijing Euro-Asian Road Transport Conference and Ministerial Meeting, 26-27 September 2005 Visit of high-level governmental representatives, under the leadership of the IRU Secretary General, to Ju Huang, Deputy Prime Minister of the PRC. © International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

Silk Road Feasibility Study The feasibility of my dream is also proved by the recent US Chamber of Commerce’s study on the “land transport options between Europe and Asia” just published. © International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

Road transport is already feasible! This study clearly demonstrated that, without spending one additional penny on infrastructure, we can ship by road Chinese containers to any major market, under highly competitive time and cost conditions. As mentioned in this study, the current price and time could be enormously reduced by the implementation of existing trade facilitation instruments. For this, as explained by Mr Danet, the World Customs Organisation is playing a leadership role. To conclude, as demonstrated, the realisation of this dream can be very beneficial for you and your business. I leave you tonight with two options. Source: Ramboll, Land Transport Options between Europe and Asia: Commercial Feasibility Study © International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

21 Ministers signing Declaration of the 4th Euro-Asian Road Transport Conference © International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

UNESCAP-IRU Asian Highway Truck Caravan Join us © International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

IRU World Congress 2008: Istanbul 15 – 16 May 2008 © International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

5th Euro-Asia Conference: Almaty 11-12 June 2009! © International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

Help me to help you! © International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008