The latest edition of the IRU’s “best-selling” publication, “This is the IRU 2009” has just been released. “This is the IRU 2009” reflects the IRU’s achievements in 2008 realised with and for its Members, and looks forward to the events and challenges of 2009. This year’s edition also explains and promotes the role of the road transport sector, the challenges it faces, the solutions it proposes, and highlights the concerns of the road transport industry worldwide.

• Download a free PDF version here

While welcoming the European Commission’s decision to bring proceedings against Austria regarding the sectoral truck traffic restrictions in Tyrol, the IRU regrets that the Commission did not request the European Court of Justice to immediately remove Austrian traffic bans, especially in light of the increasing number of goods excluded from this transit route.

This traffic ban, albeit environmentally motivated, has directly resulted in a 3-hour traffic diversion that affects some 300,000 vehicles each year, producing an extra 22 million litres of diesel fuel consumption and an extra 60 million kilos of CO2 emissions. Moreover, this EU Commission approach runs the risk of setting a dangerous precedent for other Member States to implement seriously flawed environmental policies, which damage not only the economy but above all the environment.

• Read IRU press release dated 30 April 2008

The IRU today met with the Secretary General of the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) H.E. Khurshid Anwar, who expressed his interest and readiness to develop an efficient cooperation with the IRU based on the ECO-IRU MoU signed in Istanbul on 15 May 2008.

Striving for trade and transport facilitation to interlink Asia and Europe across historic routes of the ancient Silk Road, the ECO confirmed the need to promote the TIR Convention and ensure its strict implementation in the region under a special programme funded by the Islamic Development Bank. The 10 ECO Member States also gave full support to and decided to join in the IRU’s ongoing NELTI initiative and the Asian Highway Truck Caravan project in 2009.

• See IRU presentation on Road Transport Facilitation in ECO Region
• See IRU presentation on TIR System in ECO Region

A new EU regulation ((EC) No 1192/2008) will impose as of 1 January 2009 the electronic submission of TIR data prior to entering the EU or to starting TIR transport in the EU, as published in the Official Journal on 6 December 2008. To help meet this new EU requirement, the IRU today organised a training session for some 40 representatives of national Member Associations on the proper use of the IRU TIR electronic pre-declaration application (IRU TIR-EPD). This application, which is available free of charge for all TIR operators and associations, will allow TIR Holders to submit their TIR pre-declarations to the participating EU Member states and without additional onerous border procedures or recourse to third parties. Thus, all TIR Holders are invited to use the IRU TIR-EPD application, which will also contribute to simplifying EU Customs border procedures and to reducing border waiting times.

• Read more on IRU-TIR-EPD

The instructions in writing, complying with section 5.4.3 of the new ADR 2009, are now available in several languages and formats. The IRU strongly recommends carrying these instructions in the vehicle crew’s cab in order to have them readily available in case of emergency.