The workshop “Rail Transport between Europe and Asia”, organised under the high patronage of the Turkish State Railways (TCDD) and open by Mr. Veysi Kurt, Deputy Director General of TCDD, is currently being held in Istanbul.
Fruitful exchanges between OTIF (Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail), CIT (International Rail Transport Committee), ECO (Economic Cooperation Organization) UNECE/TER and UIC deal with the legal basis of rail transport between Europe and Asia, border crossing, safety and financing issues. Presentations made by OTIF focused in particular on ways of financing railway rolling stock and on ways of facilitating border crossing (border and customs controls, cross-border use of wagons – unification of the legal requirements, Technical controls). Presentation of ECO transport initiatives in the region, particularly in view of corridor projects, such as the container trains Almaty-Istanbul and Islamabad‑Istanbul routes (ECO) was made by ECO Secretary General Mr. Khurshid Anwar. UIC Legal Director Jean-Pierre Lehman took the floor to present Agreements and contracts for cross-border use of wagons in the OTIF and ECO Member States respectively (CUV, GCU, PPW). The subject of International rail transport law for freight traffic, CIM/SMGS traffic was presented by CIT.
The workshop brings together delegates from States which have or might have an important role in the increasing rail traffic between Europe and Asia. This workshop, co-organised by OTIF is one of the training events organised for managers and experts from the Member States, particularly those Member States that have only recently acceded to COTIF and those that are interested in acceding.
More than 25 Member States are invited, among there are Republic of Azerbaijan, of Belarus, Bulgaria, People’s Republic of China, Georgia, Hellenic Republic, Republic of India, Italy, Islamic Republic of Iran, Jordania, Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Republic of Moldova, Mongolia, Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Romania, Russian Federation, Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Republic of Turkey, Ukraine, Republic of Uzbekistan.
