30th IRU World Congress Dubai, UAE 14-16 March 2006

Congress Highlights - Dubai Declaration

30TH IRU WORLD CONGRESS
"ROAD TRANSPORT, THE VITAL LINK TO PROGRESS!"

Every modern economy or society needs transport in order to function.

Road transport is the principal means of achieving this.

Road transport has become an essential production tool in all economies, providing high quality services to its clients and ultimately to consumers and is thus a vital link to progress.

Without efficient road transport there cannot be sustainable development as defined in the United Nations Millennium Goals. Governments must therefore put in place policies that facilitate rather than hinder road transport operations if they are to meet their agreed upon economic, social and environmental goals.

Economic and trade development all over the world would be greatly enhanced by a strengthened mutual cooperation in road infrastructure and road transport development and the establishment of a sound legal framework governing the facilitation of cross-border and transit transport by road. This should be accompanied by the removal of non-physical barriers in road transport caused by artificial and bureaucratic formalities blocking road transport in and between countries.

The IRU, its Member Associations and road transport operators – recognising the role that road transport plays in economic, social and environmental progress and in accordance with the IRU’s 3 ”i” strategy for achieving sustainable development calling for innovation, incentives and infrastructure – have taken their responsibilities to meet the mobility needs of progress.

The full potential of road transport’s contribution to modern society can, however, only be realised if all stakeholders, including policy makers and the road transport industry, work closely together to

Achieve Sustainable Development by:

• Recognising that a modern society requires efficient logistics and that road transport plays a fundamental role in efficient supply chains, passenger transport and intermodal transport systems.
• Acknowledging and complementing the road transport sector’s own initiatives. Real business incentives should be provided to accelerate road transport operators’ contribution to environmental protection through innovative, at source measures. But innovations can bring full benefits only if Governments ensure best use of existing infrastructure and invest adequately in new infrastructure to eliminate missing links and bottlenecks.
• Accepting that growing demand for road transport services is a consequence of economic growth and cannot be decoupled from it. At the same time, growth in road transport can be decoupled from its environmental impact. Hence Governments should renounce policies that aim to shift modal split by hindering road transport, which has an even greater negative impact on the economy as a whole.
• Establishing a sustainable energy policy that duly takes into account that transport is totally dependent on oil and currently has no economically viable alternative source of energy. Massive investments in cleaner new road vehicles can bring environmental benefits only if the required fuel quality and additives are made available everywhere.
• Enhancing road safety by targeting the main causes of accidents involving commercial vehicles based on scientific fact.
• Applying solutions of a sustainable and integrated transport system paving the way for the further development of road transport thus providing a sound foundation for economic prosperity and social progress.

Achieve Facilitation by:

• Developing further open trading, personal mobility and transport systems that are predictable and non-discriminatory either nationally or internationally by minimising bureaucratic barriers to the movement and transit of people, goods, road vehicles and their drivers.
• Encouraging the adherence to and application of United Nations Conventions pertaining to the facilitation of international road transport and creating favourable cross-border and transit transport conditions since non-physical barriers still remain major obstacles to the further development of road transport.
• Introducing and implementing efficient fiscal, social and technical regulations. Governments must fully respect the principle of non-discrimination between transport modes.
• Making road transport operators fit to compete in the modern market place. Ensure fair competition within the road transport sector and between different transport modes as a precondition for improving efficiency and competitiveness. Proper financial standing and professional excellence of transport managers as well as top-level training for drivers are essential to offer quality service to society and the economy. Utilise, amongst other things, the international recognition provided by the IRU Academy and its wide network of accredited training institutes.
• Taking measures to effectively reduce the potential risks and dangers to international road transport by preventing attacks on drivers and the theft of vehicles and cargo, namely by creating a network of secure parking areas.
• Providing landlocked countries, many of which are emerging nations, with an access to road transport amenities thus fostering the economic and social development of these countries. Silk-Road-type projects can be extremely useful in this respect.

In calling on road transport's government partners to play their part via this Declaration, the IRU and its Member Associations also renew their pledge to work for the betterment of society as a whole, by providing higher quality and more environmentally efficient road transport services.

Dubai, 16 March 2006

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