Two new features have been added to the Intelligence Platform: fuel prices for compressed natural gas and an interactive map to view all driving restrictions along a trip.

IRU's Liaison Committee to Eurasia (CLEA) brought together members from across the region to discuss the latest trends, challenges and opportunities facing transport and logistics.

IRU members have adopted new policy positions on immigration and driver shortages, autonomous vehicles, and a new crisis response charter.

IRU has published its annual report for 2022, looking at the organisation’s progress and achievements in a year when it had to deliver during challenging times.

Government and business in Central Asia can work together to streamline border crossings and better manage growing trade flows with tried-and-tested UN instruments and digitalisation.

IRU has welcomed the provisional agreement reached between the European Council, Commission and Parliament on the alternative fuels infrastructure regulation (AFIR). While the deal falls short on the level of ambition called for by IRU, it does increase the investment commitment of Member States.

The Council of the European Union has adopted its general approach on the Data Act. IRU has previously welcomed the text adopted by the European Parliament. But the Council’s version allows data holders to refuse users access to their own data. As with the Parliament’s text, IRU welcomes the clarification regarding vehicle users and third parties’ access to vehicle-generated data, as well as the additional limits on governments’ access to such data.

The European Parliament has adopted its position on the Data Act, the first EU industrial data rulebook, setting harmonised rules on accessing, sharing and using data generated by connected products, such as vehicles, and related services.

The Secretaries General of IRU and the Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia (TRACECA) have held high-level talks on evolving routes, intermodal transport and digitalisation.

IRU was involved in a wide range of activities at the UN’s 85th Inland Transport Committee (ITC) session this week, driving road transport forward with its members, governments and international organisations. It was a busy week in Geneva. Road transport actors from around the world were in town for the 85th ITC session, including delegations from the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)’s 56 member states and far beyond.

IRU and the International Road Federation (IRF) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to reinforce their long-standing collaboration. Road transport operators, infrastructure providers, and users are essential in connecting people, businesses, and societies all over the world.

The Organisation of Turkic States (OTS), together with the UN and IRU, has led a workshop on e-CMR, as more countries from the region join the protocol. A recent workshop organised by OTS, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and IRU sought to raise awareness on e-CMR among public and private actors. The participants were also informed of the ongoing discussions at the UNECE’s GE.22, the Group of Experts on the Operationalisation of e-CMR.

Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan have acceded to e-CMR, committing to fully paperless goods transport and reinforcing their transition from landlocked to landlinked countries. Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, two countries at the heart of east-west and north-south trade, have acceded to the e-CMR protocol, which will further digitalise goods transport, boosting trade and connectivity.

IRU member the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) has opened a new TIR office in Bandar Abbas. Iran has issued more TIR carnets than any other country over the past two years.

IRU welcomes the European Parliament’s move to expedite the discussions on the revision of the Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) Directive, as the Transport Committee (TRAN) is mandated to enter trilogue negotiations. The Parliament’s proposal reflects IRU’s call for a pragmatic ITS framework, which would play an important role in establishing a European mobility data space.

Decarbonisation and digitalisation were on the agenda as the heads of IRU and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) met this week in Bangkok, Thailand.

As trade digitalisation gains ground in Asia, IRU has discussed the benefits of harmonised digital trade instruments with private and public representatives from Asia and Europe.

IRU welcomes the outcome of the vote by the European Parliament's Transport Committee (TRAN), which makes important data more accessible to transport operators and other road users. This sends a strong signal to accelerate digitalisation in road transport.

IRU has brought together regulators and industry leaders to exchange ideas, challenges and examples of implementing and advancing e-CMR solutions.

Members in IRU’s EU passenger, taxi and goods transport groups met in Brussels last week to debate and decide on new policy positions in three key areas.

IRU Secretary General Umberto de Pretto and HE Engineer Suhail bin Mohammed Abanmi, the Governor of Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, have held talks this week on Saudi efforts to streamline trade and drive TIR forward in the GCC region and beyond.

With a booming transcontinental Middle Corridor between Asia and Europe, IRU, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and other development partners focus on further enhancing east-west connectivity.

War in Ukraine has dramatically increased goods transport south of the Black Sea, putting more pressure on congested borders. IRU and members from the region came together in Greece to look at solutions.

IRU’s President Radu Dinescu has outlined key road transport operator challenges to the International Road Federation’s annual conference in Morocco.

A pilot project between India and Iran has completed the first fully digital intermodal TIR transport, significantly cutting transit time.

IRU was at Kazakhstan’s regional transport and logistics forum, with a focus on facilitating the flow of goods between Asia and Europe.

A key UN forum has more than doubled the speed limit for cars and vans using automated driving systems. Regulations for heavy-duty vehicles are set to follow next.

Kyrgyzstan has acceded to the e-CMR protocol, which will further digitalise goods transport and enhance security and competitiveness.

Global energy leader Shell has joined IRU as a corporate member to enhance collaboration with the sector on decarbonisation and other challenges.

We spoke with UPS about the company’s environmental vision, the importance of maintaining renewable biofuels as an option for the sector, the need for investment support in establishing reliable and smart electric recharging grids and what steps UPS is taking to reach its goal of fuelling 40% of ground operations with alternative fuels by 2025.

Turkmenistan’s Caspian Sea town of Awaza hosted the Ministerial Transport Conference of Landlocked Developing Countries, which was organised jointly by the Government of Turkmenistan and the Office of the High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States. The high-level event brought together representatives from 39 countries and 34 international organisations.

IRU member and global logistics firm DB Schenker has begun using TIR in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, saving time and CO2 emissions. 

IRU partner Middle East Logistics High Institute (MELI), a subsidiary of Almajdouie Group, has trained, assessed and certified over 4,000 truck drivers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) by following and applying the standards set by IRU to ensure a high quality of service in the transport of dangerous good by road. 

The United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS) and the Republic of Botswana conducted, in close collaboration with World Trade Organization (WTO), a session on improving the connectivity of landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) last week. The session took place during the Aid for Trade Global Review 2022.