Speeches: Paul Laeremans, IRU President, Belgium

7th IRU East-West Road Transport Conference Budapest, 15-16 May 2003 Budapest Congress Centre (BCC), Alkotas u. 63-67 - 1123 Budapest, Hungary

Paul Laeremans
IRU President, Belgium

Allow me, on behalf of the IRU, to welcome you to this 7^th IRU East-West Road Transport Conference, here at the crossroads of Europe in the beautiful city of Budapest.

Indeed, Budapest is already becoming a symbolic place for the IRU by the significance of the IRU events held so far in this city for the road transport industry and beyond.

Today, we open our seventh pan-European discussion forum on the eve of a historical enlargement of the European Union, with the objective to explore its impact and trace new paths for our industry in the future.

In 1996, it was here in Budapest that the IRU held its landmark 25^th World Congress, at which the road transport industry committed itself to the goal of Sustainable Development by signing the IRU Charter for Sustainable Development.

Since then, the IRU has taken a number of concrete steps in turning this commitment into reality by launching its Initiative and Guide for Sustainable Development, as well as by widely disseminating best industry practices. To complete the process, the IRU has made working towards Sustainable Development a constitutional obligation.

Today, sustainable development and road transport facilitation are the IRU's two overarching strategic commitments, which influence all individual IRU policy initiatives, including those implemented within the pan-European IRU network of member associations -and understandably so.

Unfolding global processes shape today's trade and transport environment by bringing about new challenges and opportunities, new responsibilities and requirements from society and our customers.

Transport services are the life-link between economic and social activities. Road transport is the leading transport mode, ensuring the link between transport modes and supporting today's modern tourist and logistics chains. Of all transport modes, road transport makes the greatest contribution to the generation of wealth and its better social distribution.

This is particularly visible and important in emerging markets and transition economies. As a matter of fact, the marginal social benefits from road transport dwarf both marginal social and institutional costs associated with the development of road transport in these economies.

That is why, for the IRU, promoting road transport facilitation has become synonymous with fighting poverty and creating equal chances for all in today's increasingly global market and society.

It was in this spirit that discussions four years ago led to the adoption of the IRU European Union Enlargement Strategy for the road transport sector.

Let me also recall that this strategy was unique in its kind, insofar as the road transport sector was the only European industry sector that devised and proposed to national and international policy decision-makers a common strategy, unanimously adopted by its members both from current and future EU Member States.

Today, less than one year before the actual entry of ten new countries into the EU, the time has come to draw the first line and see what has been achieved in the pre-accession period and what remains to be done in the first years after accession.

While sharing the excitement of the historical moment and recognising the efforts made by politicians and negotiators from both sides, all the more so in the candidate countries themselves in taking over and implementing properly the 80 000-page body of the EU transport acquis, the IRU must also mention the missed opportunity to ensure a step-by-step opening of the market already in the pre-accession period.

This failure, together with the slow process of taking on board by the political establishment, of another IRU crucial proposal, namely, the creation of a market monitoring system for road transport, may create unnecessary constraints and, ultimately, compromise some of the soundest achievements of the overall political process.

In addition, it is of utmost importance that the process of taking over and implementing the EU road transport acquis is properly conducted and completed in the next 3 to 5 years, also in regard to the domestically operating road transport companies in candidate countries.

Domestically operating companies in candidate countries also need special attention and support from their trade associations, who should make every effort to extend their services and advocacy to also cover these road transport companies. It is the duty of the associations to promote the reinforcement of the criteria for access to the profession and support operators' efforts to increase the quality of their services.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Over the years, the IRU and its member associations have proven their long-standing commitment to integration and facilitation, as well as their readiness to share their know-how and co-operate with their partners, including authorities, to achieve a sound and well-functioning market of road transport services at a pan-European level, free of barriers and offering equal opportunities for all.

The purpose of this conference is to further contribute to achieving these goals by enlarging the framework of the debate to cover the pan-European continent and its transport network and links to other adjacent areas, the economic centres of which are situated just a lorry-ride from each other.

Your presence here today and your commitment are a guarantee that in working together we will achieve our goals.

Allow me, at the end of my exposé, to thank our partners and supporters from Iveco, MOL, Michelin, Schmitz Cargobull, DKV and Hungarocamion.

I wish you every success in your work during the two days of the conference prepared and hosted for you jointly by the Hungarian Road Transport Association (ATRH) and the IRU.

[ top ]