1. How UNECE Road Transport Conventions Facilitate International Trade and Road Transport
By José Capel Ferrer, Director, Transport Division
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
17 January 2019
UNECE Transport Division

2. International Road Transport, Vital to Development
Mobility, a key component of everyday life of people
Access to basic services: education, health, …. for all
Transport, vital to economic activities
Transport, key to growth, job creation, an important sector of the economy (% of GDP)
Road transport, a major share of transport
International transport, indispensable for international trade, exports and imports, a major factor for growth
17 January 2019
UNECE Transport Division

3. International Road Transport Faces Barriers, Hazards
Incoherent Road Networks
Heterogeneous national transport regulations
Road accidents, Environmental concerns
Long, cumbersome procedures and controls
Security threats: organized crime, terrorism
17 January 2019
UNECE Transport Division

4. UNECE, Pioneer in Removing Barriers to International Road Transport
Transport, a major responsibility of Governments
Intergovernmental cooperation is needed to remove barriers to international transport
UNECE: created in 1947 in a devastated Europe
Since then, UNECE has promoted cooperation to facilitate international road transport in Europe
17 January 2019
UNECE Transport Division

5. Removing Barriers to International Road Transport: UNECE Conventions
55 legally binding Agreements and Conventions
Kept up to date by specialized intergovernmental bodies, with participation of NGOs like IRU
Most Conventions are open to all UN Members
S.-G. is the Depositary, Follow UN legal rules
17 January 2019
UNECE Transport Division

6. UNECE Conventions that Facilitate International Road Transport
A coherent road network: The AGR
Rules for safe road traffic: Conventions on Road Traffic and on Road Signs and Signals, of 1968
Regulations for safe, clean road vehicles: The 1958 and 1998 Agreements
Simplified border procedures: The TIR Convention
17 January 2019
UNECE Transport Division

7. UNECE Transport Division
AGR: The E Road Network
The AGR Agreement :
Establishes the “E” road network, minimum technical standards and a numbering system
Extended to the Caucasus and Central Asia
Used by UNESCAP as a basis for the Asian Highway Network (AHN) Agreement
17 January 2019
UNECE Transport Division

8. UNECE Transport Division
E – Road Network
motorways
roads
17 January 2019
UNECE Transport Division

9. Convention on Road Traffic, 1968 (1)
Facilitates international road traffic and ensures a high level of road traffic safety
Through internationally agreed traffic rules and reciprocal recognition of documents issued in conformity with those rules
17 January 2019
UNECE Transport Division

10. Convention on Road Traffic, 1968 (2)
General and specific rules for Drivers:
At all times able to control their vehicle
Must hold a driving permit, issued after tests
Driving rules: speed, distance, overtaking,....
General rules for Vehicles
Must be registered, Registration Certificate
Distinguishing Sign of country of registration
17 January 2019
UNECE Transport Division

11. Convention on Road Traffic, 1968 (3)
Behaviour towards Pedestrians, Cyclists……
Recent Amendments:
No hand-held mobile phone while driving
Stricter rules for issuance of Driving Permits
17 January 2019
UNECE Transport Division

12. Convention on Road Traffic, 1968 (4) Contracting Parties: 62 States
17 January 2019
UNECE Transport Division

13. Convention on Road Signs and Signals, of 1968 (1)
Facilitates international road traffic and increases road traffic safety
Through a set of about 200 internationally agreed road signs and signals
17 January 2019
UNECE Transport Division

14. Convention on Road Signs and Signals, of 1968 (2)
Three Categories of Road Signs:
Danger Warning, Regulatory, Informative
Norms on shapes, dimensions, colours, visibility
Norms on Traffic Light Signals, Road Markings
Road Works and Level Crossings Signs
17 January 2019
UNECE Transport Division

15. UNECE Transport Division
Danger Warning Road Signs Equilateral Triangle, White or Yellow Ground, Red border
Road narrows ahead (A, 4), men at work or road works (A, 16), roundabout ahead (A, 22), bumpy road or uneven surface (A, 7), falling rocks (A, 11), level crossing (A, 25)
17 January 2019
UNECE Transport Division

16. Regulatory Road Signs Circular, White or Yellow Background, Red Border
No entry (C, 1), maximum speed limit of 80 kilometres per hour (C, 5), no overtaking (C, 4), no entry for vehicles having an overall height exceeding 3.5 metres (C, 6), no left turn (C, 11a)
17 January 2019
UNECE Transport Division

17. UNECE Transport Division
Informative Road Signs Rectangular, Blue or Green Background, White or Yellow Rectangle with Sign
Filling station (F, 4), camping site (F, 10), first-aid station (F, 1), General speed limits (G, 14), closure of a traffic lane (G, 12a), beginning of a built up area (E, 7)
17 January 2019
UNECE Transport Division

18. UNECE Transport Division
Convention on Road Signs and Signals, 1968 Contracting Parties: 52 States
Contracting Parties
17 January 2019
UNECE Transport Division

19. UNECE Transport Division
The 1958 Agreement (1)
Establishes regulations to improve safety, emissions and consumption for road vehicles, including trucks, buses, coaches
121 Regulations to date
Have improved safety and environmental performance of vehicles significantly
17 January 2019
UNECE Transport Division

20. UNECE Transport Division
The 1958 Agreement (2)
17 January 2019
UNECE Transport Division

21. The 1958 Agreement (3) Emissions of Heavy Vehicles
17 January 2019
UNECE Transport Division

22. The 1958 Agreement (4) Contracting Parties: 43 States + EU
17 January 2019
UNECE Transport Division

23. The 1998 Global Agreement (1)
Establishes global technical regulations (gtrs) to improve safety, pollution, consumption and anti-theft performance of all types of road vehicles
Global regulations may set lower stringency for developing countries
China is a Contracting Party
2 Global regulations adopted so far
17 January 2019
UNECE Transport Division

24. The 1998 Agreement (2) Contracting Parties: 23 States + EU
17 January 2019
UNECE Transport Division

25. The TIR Convention, of 1975 (1)
Facilitates international trade and road transport of goods across one, more borders, while ensuring a high level of anti-fraud security
Through a carefully designed border crossing procedure and an international guarantee chain
Implemented in cooperation with IRU, its National Associations and Transport operators
17 January 2019
UNECE Transport Division

26. The TIR Convention of 1975 (2)
Use Secure, Approved Vehicles or Containers
Mutual Recognition of Customs Controls, Seals
International Guarantee system, managed by IRU
TIR Carnet: Customs&Guarantee document. Still on paper, but with advanced security features
Controlled access of national associations, transport operators
Computerization of the TIR procedure under way
17 January 2019
UNECE Transport Division

27. The TIR Convention of 1975 (3)
Benefits
No inspection of goods at intermediate borders
No payment of taxes and duties en route
Lower border delays, Lower transport, import and export costs, Higher competitiveness, growth
High level of security and anti-fraud protection
17 January 2019
UNECE Transport Division

28. The TIR Convention of 1975 (4)
17 January 2019
UNECE Transport Division

29. The TIR Convention of 1975 (5) Contracting Parties: 64 States + EU
17 January 2019
UNECE Transport Division

30. UNECE Transport Division
Tangible Results
In the past 40 years, in the UNECE, on average:
Road traffic increased by a factor of 4, bringing economic growth, jobs and prosperity to Europeans
People killed annually on the roads reduced to 1/2
Pollution of cars manufactured to UNECE rules reduced to just about 2,5% (about 40 times less)
UNECE Conventions contributed
17 January 2019
UNECE Transport Division

31. No Room for Complacency
In 2003, over people killed on UNECE roads
1,2 Million people per year killed on the world’s roads
Demand for road transport continues to grow
Mobility in Eastern Europe, Asia to grow sharply
About 800 million vehicles in the world and increasing
We must keep on updating UNECE Conventions
17 January 2019
UNECE Transport Division

32. UNECE Transport Division
Conclusions
International road transport, vital to development
International road transport faces obstacles, safety hazards, security threats, environmental impacts
UNECE Conventions facilitate international road transport while addressing these challenges
Most UNECE Conventions are open to all countries
Countries around the world would benefit from acceding to UNECE Conventions on transport
Still UNECE Conventions need to be implemented
17 January 2019
UNECE Transport Division

33. UNECE Transport Division
17 January 2019
UNECE Transport Division