This report includes recommendations and a plan of action approved by ministers and a report on Trends in Europe-Asia Trade and Consequences for Transport. It also includes contributions from the UNECE and the IRU.

This report includes recommendations and a plan of action approved by ministers and a report on Trends in Europe-Asia Trade and Consequences for Transport. It also includes contributions from the UNECE and the IRU.

This publication is the outcome of work of the UNECE Group of Experts on Euro-Asian Transport Links (EATL) in phase III of the project (2013-2017). The report was drafted by a consultant from the Scientific and Research Institute of Motor Transport (NIIAT) in Moscow and is focused both at coordination and facilitation of financing of infrastructural projects, as well as facilitating and removing physical and administrative bottlenecks at border crossings in overland transport between Europe and Asia. The report is a particularly useful tool for transport policy-makers from Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) and transit countries in the Euro-Asian region and beyond, in that it, inter alia: i) Identifies and describes main commodity groups for the transport of which inland modes of transport can compete with maritime and aviation modes (incl. non-containerized, containerized and high-value containerized cargo); ii) Provides analysis showing the economic advantage (in terms of time and costs) of inland routes compared to air or maritime routes; and iii) Identifies the current strengths and weaknesses and lists several recommendations to make inland routes more competitive vis-à-vis the other modes. The EATL project's principal value to the market is that it paved the way for the operation of container "block trains". The development of the block trains, the so called "highways of railways" made the Euro-Asian corridors operational, serving as a regular mechanism controlled by the market that evaluates the service levels and requests for greater facilitation, cooperation and investment.

This publication is the outcome of work of the UNECE Group of Experts on Euro-Asian Transport Links (EATL) in phase III of the project (2013-2017). The report was drafted by a consultant from the Scientific and Research Institute of Motor Transport (NIIAT) in Moscow and is focused both at coordination and facilitation of financing of infrastructural projects, as well as facilitating and removing physical and administrative bottlenecks at border crossings in overland transport between Europe and Asia. The report is a particularly useful tool for transport policy-makers from Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) and transit countries in the Euro-Asian region and beyond, in that it, inter alia: i) Identifies and describes main commodity groups for the transport of which inland modes of transport can compete with maritime and aviation modes (incl. non-containerized, containerized and high-value containerized cargo); ii) Provides analysis showing the economic advantage (in terms of time and costs) of inland routes compared to air or maritime routes; and iii) Identifies the current strengths and weaknesses and lists several recommendations to make inland routes more competitive vis-à-vis the other modes. The EATL project’s principal value to the market is that it paved the way for the operation of container “block trains”. The development of the block trains, the so called “highways of railways” made the Euro-Asian corridors operational, serving as a regular mechanism controlled by the market that evaluates the service levels and requests for greater facilitation, cooperation and investment.

This book looks at the most recent transport and investment trends. It then examines the pan-European process of legal harmonisation and adjustment of transport systems and analyses emerging trade and transport links between Europe and Asia.

The collapse of previous command economic structures in Eastern Europe has led to an often chaotic reorganization of transport operations. Southeastern Europe in particular not only lags behind the western EU countries in terms of transport infrastructure, but also in terms of management and policy. However, despite this, or perhaps even because there are no long-standing established patterns, this region is a fertile territory for innovation. Based on the first major international conference dealing with transport issues in Southeastern Europe, this edited volume brings together key researchers and policy makers to discuss and critically analyse these innovations. Focusing on issues related to privatization and harmonization of national legislation, the contributors also address the countries' struggle with inadequate management structures and the challenges posed in running shipping, ports and railways in a region fragmented into numerous nations and states. It not only provides an up-to-date overview of transport operations and planning in Southeastern Europe, but also provides more general insights into recent and current developments in a region that has undergone widespread upheavals in the past two decades, and is now experiencing renewed growth.