The 8th edition of the Wider Black Sea Area Railway Investment Summit, organised by Club Ferroviar, is taking place in Bucharest on 8 – 9 October and is attended by over 300 influential decision-makers dealing with the development and implementation of investment policies on railway infrastructure development, railway freight and passenger transport, public transport in the Wider Black Sea Area (WBSA), as well as by institution and private investors.

This morning, a video message was given by Siim Kallas, Vice President of the European Commission and Commissioner for Mobility and Transport. Ramona Mănescu, Minister of Transport and Ştefan Roşeanu, Senior Partner – Club Feroviar/General Manager – Association for Metropolitan Mobility (AMM), also gave a speech during the Opening Ceremony.

UIC was represented by Jean-Pierre Loubinoux who insisted on the fact that “Romania’s involvement in UIC’s work remains vital, in the sense that the country represents a strategic weight in trade development in this region of the Black Sea and towards Asia”.
Regarding the Memorandum of Understanding to be signed at the end of this month between UIC and the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), he said:

“I am looking forward to the signing at the end of this month of a Memorandum of Understanding between UIC and the Organisation of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC). This MoU should make it possible to provide all the necessary support to the development of railways in countries around this area of the Black Sea (some 20 member countries of the BSEC organisation), with a special emphasis on both the techno-economic and political aspects.

It is hoped that this MoU will enable railways to play a more regular role in large development projects across this region which covers the Black and Caspian Seas.
I take this opportunity to extend my warmest thanks to His Excellency Ambassador Traian Chebeleu, Deputy Secretary-General of the BSEC, whose involvement and work, in cooperation with my UIC team, have helped establish solid links and prepare this Agreement.

This Agreement opens up exciting new prospects for the development of transport connections, by increasing the efficiency of international rail transport, bringing the trade capacity and volumes of outside and internal businesses to the railways, and implementing innovative transport solutions to improve transport efficiency in the Black Sea region.
The full video message of Jean-Pierre Loubinoux is available at: