On 2 May, the Ministers of Transport from the Alpine countries met at the World Summit of the ITF/OECD International Transport Forum held in Leipzig, where Germany took over the chair of the “Zurich Process” (formal platform of cooperation of the Ministers of Transport of the Alpine countries) from Switzerland. The principality of Liechtenstein was welcomed as a new member.

For the last 10 years the Alpine countries have cooperated in the framework of the “Zurich Process”. The main objective is to enable member states to implement harmonised actions in the case of unexpected events such as accidents or fires in alpine tunnels. Further objectives consist in improving safety in railway tunnels, channelling increased transport flows through the Alps and disseminating information and statistics on transit traffic through the Alps.

The new “Zurich Process” Chairman Dr Peter Ramsauer, German Federal Minister of Transport, mentioned "bringing transit freight traffic through the Alps in line with the environmental and climate protection goals” as among the main priorities.

(Source: German Federal Ministry of Transport, Construction and Urban Planning)