January 2012, № 1/12 (special edition) ISSN 2029-4212 EWTC NEWSPAPER FOR THE TRANSPORT PROFESSIONALS The EWTC Association as an instrument for the implementation of the EU Eastern Neighbourhood policy. 2 EWTC EWTC ASSOCIATION A NEW INSTRUMENT FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION ACTION PLAN 2012 OF THE NEW EU EASTERN NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICY A. TO ESTABLISH THEMATIC EWTCA WORKING GROUPS The groups should: - identify main problems and bottlenecks in functioning of the EWTC; - propose measures to avoid and prevent obstacles in functioning of the EWTC; - propose actual measures into agenda of the EWTCA activities. • Working group on stakeholders cooperation along the EWTC; • Working groups on freight operations along the EWTC; • Working groups on customs, regulatory and administrative procedures along the EWTC; • Working group on research and development along the EWTC; • Working group on passengers transportation; II quarter 2012 B. TO DEEPEN COOPERATION BETWEEN EWTCA MEMBERS, STAKEHOLDERS ALONG THE EWTC • To prepare the budget calculation of Association for 2012 (I quarter of 2012); • EWTCA Forum in China (I half of 2012); • EWTCA Forum in Germany (III quarter of 2012); • Quarterly EWTCA newsletter; • To facilitate coordination and information exchange between partners, broadening usage of EWTCA web BFL portal by EWTCA members (Regularly); • To organize Council meetings (II quarter of 2012, IV quarter of 2012). C. TO PROMOTE EWTC AND EWTC ASSOCIATION he transport and logistics sector is one of tion, Sweden and Ukraine. Tthe key sectors enhancing national activ- The Lithuanian Government welcomes • To prepare informational brochure about EWTCA members; ity in the global economy. Due to the globali- and supports the activities of the Interna- zation, the management and co-operation of tional Association EWTC, whose efforts to en- • To present EWTCA to members of the European Parliament (in cooperation with EIA) June 2012; the transportation systems, as well as their hance transport and logistics services con- • To present EWTCA in the European Commission Eastern Partnership Transport 2nd Panel (2012 February); co-ordination, have turned into a significant tribute to the development of internation- challenge which calls for joint efforts by all • To provide information about activities and opportunities of the EWTC through mass media (Regularly). al trade between Europe and Belarus, Russia, the counties of the relevant regions, as well Ukraine, Kazakhstan and the Far East coun- as all other players located along the global tries (e.g. China). D. supply chains. Therefore, with a view to form- The East-West Transport Corridor Associ- ing global intermodal logistics chains, differ- ation has a significant role in deepening co- TO EXPAND EWTCA THROUGH ATTRACTING STAKEHOLDERS FROM NEW COUNTRIES ent means and instruments uniting the ef- operation between the container train VI- forts of different transport modes, business KING partners and developing relations be- • Countries of TRACECA network; structures, and research institutions have cur- tween Baltic and Black Sea regional business- rently been actively discussed and promoted. • Turkey. es. Growing competitiveness inspires us to cre- As members of the Association, Lithua- ate new forms of cooperation to effectively nia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and China have ap- E. solve transnational transport problems and to find best solutions to current challenges. peared to be the most important “locomo- TO DEEPEN EWTCA RELATIONS WITH SHIPPERS The East-West Transport Corridor Associ- tives” in initiating and carrying out the con- ation was established in June 2010 with the tainer train project the SUN (China-Western • Through EWTCA members in EWTC countries to collaborate with chambers of commerce, industrial fede- aim to improve the competitiveness of global Europe via the Baltic Sea region). rations and individual companies (Regularly). East-West Transport Corridor linking the Bal- Thus, we are confident that the interna- tic Sea region and the Asian and European tional East-West Transport Corridor Associ- F. countries around it. ation can successfully serve as a new instru- The Association unites partners represent- ment for the implementation of the new EU TO INCREASE FINANCING OF EWTCA ACTIVITIES ing business, academic and public structures Eastern Neighbourhood Policy. from twelve states, namely Belarus, Belgium, • To prepare the application for EU funding (II quarter of 2012). China, Denmark, France, Germany, Kazakh- Prime Minister of Lithuanian Republic stan, Lithuania, Mongolia, Russian Federa- Andrius Kubilius EWTC 3 EAST – WEST TRANSPORT CORRIDOR ASSOCIATION AS AN INSTRUMENT FOR THE REALISATION OF THE EU TRANSPORT POLICY ANDRIAUS UFARTO / BFL / UFARTO ANDRIAUS ropean Union Presidency (Szczecin, 22/9/20). Considering the positively recognized ac- tivity of the Association which stands along the effective cooperation of its members with public authority and business structures, the existing experience of coordination of the cor- ridor might be also applied to the Baltic Sea - Black Sea Corridor, namely the shuttle train “Viking” running from Klaipeda through Minsk and Kiev to Odessa (Ilyichevsk port). We are inclined that the closer transport mar- ket integration beyond the EU’s offers new market opportunities for companies both in the EU and in the neighbouring countries. Closer integration between the transport and logistics markets of the EU and ENP countries can make transport con- nections faster, cheaper and more efficient. The western part of the East-West transport corridor, which consists mainly of ports and hubs situated in southern part of Baltic Sea, is prosperous in terms of cooperation and tight- ening links between Eastern and Western Eu- ropean partners as the container train “Viking” SHUTTERSTOCK is important in handling flows between the port of Klaipeda and the ports of Karlshamn in Sweden and Sassnitz in Germany. Other plans in the short term agenda contain realization of the new container shuttle trains, namely be- tween ports of Klaipeda/Kaliningrad and Mos- he International East West Transport Cor- ment for regional and inter-regional coopera- Transport „Roadmap to a Single European Trans- cow transport hubs, as well as China/Kazakh- Tridor Association was established in June, tion, uniting representatives from business, ac- port Area – Towards a competitive and resource stan and the rest of EU. The pilot shipment Ka- 2010, with the aim to improve the competitive- ademia and public structures with the prima- efficient transport system“ and the realization of zakhstan-Rotterdam was already executed ness of the East-West transport corridor link- ry task to reach high level of mutual dialogue a green corridor concept through the formation successfully in the October, 2011. ing the Southern part of the Baltic Sea region that would lead to the most environmentally- of intermodal transport corridor flows, linking Eventually, we express our hope that the and the Asian and European countries beyond friendly, sustainable, efficient and safest con- Europe with the third countries, namely, China, East–West Transport Corridor Association will it. The members of the Association are from nections for freight transport in the East –West Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Ukraine and Be- be recognized by the Commission as an in- twelve states, namely, Belarus, Belgium, China, intermodal transport corridor larus. To obtain the closer cooperation and effi- novative instrument for the implementation Denmark, France, Germany, Kazakhstan, Lithua- Since its establishment the EWTC Associa- ciency of transport corridor, embracing EU and Eastern Partnership Policy in transport sector. nia, Mongolia, Russian Federation, Sweden and tion has already achieved and implemented non-EU countries, the Association primary fo- This goes with the attitude of the Communi- Ukraine. The biggest transport and logistics ac- several important initiatives reducing the bot- cuses on the promotion and implementation cation “A New Response to a Changing Neigh- tors across the corridor are: Lithuanian Railways, tlenecks and facilitating the functioning of the of common KPI’s and common standards of ser- bourhood” where the Commission seeks for Ukraine Railways, National Company Kazakh- East-West transport corridor. Some of them vices compatible with green transport concept transport co-operation in neighboring coun- stan Temyr Zholy, Asia Continental Landbridge are worth mentioning. First, the EWTCA initi- along the entire East-West transport corridor. tries, “aiming at closer market integration in Logistics Association Council, Berlin-Branden- ated project to test the monitoring system by Through these mechanisms the Association the transport sector, notably extending trans- burg Logistic Network, VPA Logistics, JSC Plaske, using innovative the e-Seals method for the aims at tightly linking European Neighbour- European transport networks (TEN-Ts) to part- Tuuchin Co. Ltd., Belintertrans JSC, Lithuanian tracing carriage arrival at the control stations. hood Policy and European Transport Policy and ner countries, addressing administrative bot- National Road Carriers’ Association Linava, Lith- In the particular case the container transpor- extending the instruments of these policies to- tlenecks with a focus on safety and securi- uanian National Freight Forwarders Association tation form Turkey to Lithuania was tested. As wards neighbouring countries. As it was men- ty issues”. Considering our ongoing activities LINEKA, Port of