Infrastructure and transport in the Black Sea region Opening Remarks Emmanouil Vlachogiannis First Vice President Thessaloniki Chamber of Commerce and Industry Thessaloniki

Why Infrastructure and Transport?

Drivers for International Trade Drivers for Economic Integration Drivers for Economic Development Drivers for Social Cohesion

Can we develop useful recommendations for the governments of the countries of the Region? Let’s try to assess.

1.The current state of affairs in infrastructure in the Black Sea Region is adequate with the needs for promoting trade and investment. There are different views by the responding members on that issue. There is no particular recommendation to be made.

2.In general, providing the adequate infrastructure facilitates trade and investment. There is a unanimous positive vote for this issue.

3.Projects in infrastructure should follow economic and business consideration. There is a strong vote for this issue.

4.Commercial networking facilitated by interventions by different institutions is more important than building infrastructure. Equal importance of commercial networking and building infrastructure is acknowledged by the responding members.

5.Projects in infrastructure should be attractive to long term investment by private funds. There is strong vote for that issue.

6.In case of private funding of infrastructure projects, remunerating revenues have to be raised by the users of respecting infrastructure. One responding member disagrees totally.

7.New infrastructure projects shall internalize external cost, meaning that the users shall bear the burden of environmental protection. There is strong vote for that issue.

8.In the long run higher costs of using modern infrastructure are offset by lower operating cost and higher flexibility to adapt to market needs. There is strong vote for that issue.

9.Intermodal transport is an effective instrument to combine transport efficiency with environmental protection. There is almost unanimous positive vote for that issue.

10.Logistic centers and/or freight villages are indispensable nodes for a system of intermodal transports. There is almost unanimous vote for that issue.

11.Green transport, involving the use of railway and shipping for short distances, is essential for the Black Sea Region. There is strong vote for that issue, but one responding member does not embrace fully the concept.

12.Transport policies should contribute to the development of an open and competitive market without exclusions and/or state interventions. There is strong vote for that issue.

Some conclusions Priority on the viability of the infrastructure projects. Criteria must include efficiency and environmental sustainability. Participation of market forces highly desirable. Involvement of private sector and distribution of risks.

Thank you for your attention