IRU road freight transport security seminar - 2007

Introduction
Janusz Lacny, IRU Goods Transport Council President

It is in the vested interest of the profession to achieve workable and reasonable security rules in all international bodies and national legislation striking the right balance between security requirements and the facilitation of trade and road transport. The IRU should oppose any proliferation of security rules, therefore, it should underline the importance of and the need for a proper implementation of what exists today as international or national security legislation to be complemented with the use of industry security initiatives and guidelines. There is a need for the harmonisation of security initiatives in order to prevent the escalation of security regulations.

How to achieve Security in Road Transport
Umberto de Pretto, IRU Deputy Secretary General

Indeed, if the WCO SAFE Framework is the best tool to avoid a proliferation of restrictive regulations and costly duplication of regional, bilateral and national security initiatives, the TIR Convention is the best tool to fully implement, on the basis of Customs to Customs mutual recognition, all the security requirement standards set by the WCO SAFE Framework.

Customs Security in the aftermath of 9/11
Larry Burton, Senior Technical Officer, World Customs Organisation (WCO)

The World Customs Organisation (WCO) has tried to devise a cargo security strategy which will be applicable to all transport modes, and which will enable the application of Risk Analysis and Management regimes in the assessment of cargo movements. The cornerstone of the program is the advance electronic transmission of data regarding cargoes, from sending to receiving countries. Ultimately, the success or failure of the strategy is dependent upon the extent to which the concept of Mutual Recognition of the Authorized Economic Operators (AEO) takes hold. Indeed, the WCO SAFE Framework contains four core elements: common risk-management approach based on key data elements; advance electronic manifest information; inspection of high-risk cargo at port of origin and export controls and finally enhanced trade facilitation for legitimate trade based on the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) concept.

1. Approved Economic Operator (AEO): the Standards, the Accreditation Process, Challenges and Opportunities for Transport Operators and their Associations;
2. TIR System’s Compatibility with the WCO Safe Framework
3. The Role of Pre-notification for security: NCTS/TIR Interface
   Gordon Wright, Head, Customs Security and Transit Matters, IRU

Road transport operators will need to meet 90 criteria (EU - AEO). These concern company information, compliance record, applicants accounting and logistical system and financial solvency and safety and security requirements. Benefits are: lower risk rating, less administrative and physical examinations at the borders, priority examinations at borders, reduced data set requirements for pre-arrival/departure summary declarations and commercial advantage of having AEO status. Associations may become AEO certifiers.

Need for Mutual Recognition of AEO Status at National, Regional and International Level
Ian Impey, Director Facilitation, Brussels Office, Global Express Association

Approved Economic Operator programmes must be voluntary, not mandatory. Benefits must be tangible, clearly defined, measurable and additional to normal levels of service provided to non-AEOs e.g. reduced data sets, expedited processing and minimum number of inspections. A key benefit should be the mutual recognition of AEO status. In this sense, compliance with other “identical or comparable” standards already laid down should be recognized. AEO programmes must include appeal procedures. Pilot projects to test mutual recognition of AEO status should be urgently undertaken, especially between the US and the EU.

The Transport Operator’s View on Security Requirements
Pere Padrosa, President, and Miguel de San Juan, Commercial Manager, Grup Padrosa, Spain

The transport company needs to ensure security itself with all preventive measures, private and consequently paying services, and convince its clients that it is a specialist not only in transport but also in security. Consequently, our perception is that we are alone in a Jungle. The question is: why? If we all pay taxes, if we all pay for the use of motorway infrastructure, why do we pay yet in addition for transport security?

Highway Watch in the US
Martin Rojas, American Trucking Association, US

ATA is insisting government agencies use “risk-based” approaches in developing security regulations commensurate with the risk represented by the type of operations or cargo handled by motor carriers. Thus, ATA is actively advocating relief from redundant and costly security requirements through both regulatory and legislative initiatives.

Road Transport Security as seen by the Dutch Road Transport Association EVO
Godfried Smit, Manager, Customs and Trade Affairs EVO, NL

For the moment, there is only one existing global system offering guidance for individual security measures. This is the World Customs Organisation’s “Safe Framework”.  One drawback of the system is that it contains no binding legislative obligations. A way out could be to look for already existing operational legislation on a global scale like the TIR-Convention. To ensure that the TIR-Convention can play a significant role in the whole logistic chain, its scope should be expanded to cover also the shipper. By introducing this as a module under the TIR-Convention a legally binding international set of security rules would be created.

Conclusion and next steps
Janusz Lacny, IRU Goods Transport Council President

Security” is not a new subject for the IRU and its associations: ever since 9/11 it has been high on the agenda. The adoption of the industry Security Guidelines back in 2004 and our permanent though critical support to security enhancement measures are important milestones of our activities aimed at security promotion in road transport.