 Enrico
Grillo Pasquarelli
Director, DG Transport and Energy, European Commission
The Truck Caravan itinerary - from Beijing
toBerlin and Brussels - is clear evidence that road transport is a viable option
to link production and distribution centres anywhere across the entire Eurasian
continent. Goods transport by road can become part of the complex logistic
chain, often using multi-modal transport operations, to link distant points of
cargo origin and destination. This time, goods will be carried by the Caravan
from China to Belgium - just as they used to be in ancient times - via the
legendary Silk Road.
Many merchants and travellers used this route,
but the most famous of all was a European called Marco Polo, who was the first
to reach China by land. His trip opened a route which for many years brought
Eastern wonders to Europe (such as the warm perfume of tea, the smooth luxury of
silk and homage to human intelligence the game of chess).
Today, the IRU is reviving this ancient route in
the hope that it can become an alternative to existing maritime itineraries from
East Asia to Europe and the Truck Caravan will provide a real publicity for the
resurrection of this ancient link.
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Belgium 
