As global supply chains become increasingly interdependent, regulatory complexity is impeding competitiveness. “Simplify”, the first pillar of IRU’s newly adopted position, Driving Competitiveness – a Collective Call for Action, advocates for a renewed focus on regulatory simplification to improve global trade and transport efficiency and resilience. It follows recent wins at the UN level.
In international forums such as the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), IRU is leading efforts to streamline outdated, duplicative or unclear rules that impose administrative burdens without advancing safety, sustainability or efficiency.
Governments worldwide must review and modernise existing regulations, with a special focus on easing compliance for SMEs and harmonising standards across borders.
Transport of dangerous goods
IRU’s advocacy at the UNECE level has already yielded tangible results, demonstrating how regulatory simplification can support safety, efficiency and economic vitality globally.
IRU supported an initiative to clarify complex documentation requirements for transporting radioactive materials, specifically UN Nos. 2977 and 2978 (uranium hexafluoride), under the RID/ADR/ADN regulations.
These substances were inconsistently documented across countries due to vague wording in existing provisions, creating confusion and inefficiencies for operators.
By working collaboratively with regulators, IRU helped secure the adoption of a focused clarification to paragraph 5.4.1.2.5.1 (b) and special provision 172. The revised language removed ambiguity while maintaining rigorous safety standards, enabling consistent interpretation and implementation across jurisdictions. This is a practical example of simplification eliminating unnecessary complexity without compromising safety.
Vehicle inspections across borders
Another important simplification achievement involved IRU’s push to harmonise technical inspection procedures for commercial vehicles operating internationally.
Under current frameworks, transport companies often face duplicative inspections when crossing borders, leading to delays, increased costs, and inconsistent enforcement.
IRU successfully advocated for aligning national inspection regimes based on mutual recognition of equivalent standards. This approach was incorporated into ongoing UNECE discussions, laying the groundwork for fewer redundant checks and a more fluid cross-border flow of goods. The initiative highlights how smarter regulations can improve efficiency while upholding vehicle safety and environmental performance.
Global impact: Smarter rules for a competitive world
IRU’s global advocacy reinforces the principle that simplification does not mean deregulation. Instead, it is about making rules more effective, clear and proportionate, especially in the context of cross-border trade.
By pushing for clearer rules, fewer duplications and more harmonised approaches, IRU is helping countries and road transport companies to reduce unnecessary costs, support innovation, and strengthen supply chains worldwide.
As governments continue to meet under the UNECE and other global platforms, IRU is urging regulators to embrace simplification and pragmatism as strategic imperatives that ensure transport policy keeps pace with the evolving demands of international trade.