Newsroom

IRU, the world road transport organisation, has published its 2025 annual report, outlining key achievements in driving safe, efficient and sustainable road transport across the globe.

At BSEC-URTA’s 47th General Assembly, transport leaders and industry representatives highlighted the growing strategic importance of the Black Sea region as a key bridge connecting Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Middle East and the GCC region.

China is benefiting from a highly practical TIR use case: bonded cargo transport. By combining the tax and customs advantages of bonded zones with the speed, security and simplicity of TIR, Chinese cities are creating faster and more cost-effective overland routes to markets across Eurasia.

At the 12th World Free Zones Organization (WFZO) Congress in Panama City, IRU’s Secretary General warned that the era of single-route supply chains is over, urging free zones and governments to build trade corridors backed by agile, harmonised and digital frameworks.

The adoption of eCMR continues to gather momentum, with Albania having joined eCMR just a few weeks earlier.

The first eTIR transport operations between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan mark a major milestone for the digitalisation of international road transport in Central Asia.

As the Middle Corridor gains strategic importance for Europe–Asia trade, attention is shifting from political coordination to practical implementation. At a high-level roundtable in Brussels, IRU highlighted the concrete measures needed to make the route faster, more predictable and ready for investment.

The first IRU Academy Accredited Training Institute (ATI) e-meeting of the year brought together more than 45 participants from around 30 countries to discuss the future of professional road transport training, with a strong focus on driver mobility, dangerous goods transport and recent IRU Academy developments.

With transport ministers and leaders gathered in Leipzig for the 2026 International Transport Forum (ITF) Summit, IRU called for practical reform and facilitation measures to strengthen road transport resilience and help the sector respond to growing global disruptions.

At the 2026 International Transport Forum (ITF) Summit in Leipzig, IRU’s Secretary General delivered a stark message to ministers and transport leaders: the world has entered a state of permanent crisis mode, and governments must move from discussion to action to help transport systems respond to growing global disruptions.

EU Mobility Package rules will apply to light commercial vehicles from 1 July 2026.

IRU member the American Trucking Associations (ATA) has been calculating the tonnage index based on surveys from its membership since the 1970s. Here are the results for March 2026.

Hundreds of participants from across China gathered at a recent event on how TIR drives more efficient cross-border transport and supports a broader range of business needs.

IRU welcomes the targeted transport measures, calls for clearer contingency planning should supply conditions deteriorate, and expects broader financial support through a separate State aid framework.

Close to 2,000 road transport operations were conducted via Iraq under the global TIR system over the past year.

An intermodal TIR operation from China to Uzbekistan marks a new step in the expansion of the global transit system and cross-border logistics innovation in China.

IRU and European road transport associations, including IRU members, have released a joint statement ahead of the upcoming court hearing on Austria’s anti-transit measures on the Brenner corridor.

The war in Iran is reshaping logistics. How are routes changing? How are companies adapting? What is the outlook for newly evolving routes? We tackled these pressing questions and much more during our webinar.

Albania has become the 40th country to join eCMR, the digital protocol to the United Nations CMR Convention.

IRU highlighted how the global TIR system is bolstering China–Central Asia transport links at a regional workshop in Beijing.

The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) is entering into full operation across Schengen external borders, marking a new phase in its rollout.

The logistics playbook is changing. Flexibility and harmonised tools are more important than ever, IRU said at FIATA’s global event.

IRU’s new Intelligence Briefing, along with the accompanying webinar, is now available for download. It provides a data-grounded view of where road freight is heading in a time of heightened geopolitical uncertainty.

The revised Package Travel Directive updates the definition of package travel and clarifies travellers’ rights while introducing changes that will directly affect how coach services are organised, contracted and reimbursed within package tours.

eTIR is gaining momentum in Central Asia, with cross-border operations planned for the coming months.

IRU members came together for a virtual Commission on Customs Affairs (CAD) meeting last week. They assessed the latest cross-border developments – such as implementing eTIR, enhancing TIR’s competitiveness, and digitalising operations – amid continued pressure on logistics routes and supply chains.

To support the industry amid trade disruptions and rising fuel prices, IRU has launched a dedicated information hub with real-time alerts, fuel prices, border crossing maps, calls for government action, and more.

With conflict disrupting transport routes and commercial operations across the Middle East, the TIR transit system is once again keeping supply chains afloat, enabling the secure and efficient movement of essential goods.

Surging diesel prices and tightening fuel supply are putting EU transport operators under immediate pressure and risk disrupting logistics chains. IRU is calling on the European Commission to urgently coordinate an EU-wide response to stabilise fuel markets and ensure the continued flow of goods.

In a meeting with IRU, Paraguay’s Director of the National Directorate of Tax Revenues expressed strong interest in joining the global TIR transit system, recognising its potential to strengthen regional trade and logistics connectivity.

A recent conference in Brazil explored the significant benefits of coupling the Bioceanic Corridor with the TIR system, including cutting transport costs by 30%, according to a government study.

Augusto Ramos outlined three key issues that will define his mandate – along with a first 100-day plan – at the General Assembly of Mexico’s national trucking association.

Significant progress has been made in reforming the ECMT Multilateral Quota, including the launch of a digital permit system.

Tolls are undergoing a big technological shift – with significant implications for road transport operators. AS 24, a subsidiary of IRU member TotalEnergies, made a strong technological bet four years ago that is now paying off for its customers.

CEOs and senior figures from North American trucking companies came together in Mexico City to exchange views on cross-border policies at IRU’s annual North American Leadership Dialogue – amid the upcoming revision of the Mexico–United States–Canada trade agreement.