The Chairman of OSJD Committee, Tadeusz SZOZDA: Our aim is the growth of services between
Europe and Asia
The OSJD has a long-standing cooperation with a number of
international organisations. Among these is the
Central Bureau for International Railway Services (COICR), which is the
initiator of the COTIF. As we all know, this convention is the legal basis,
embracing both CIM and CIV rules, applicable for international freight and
passenger transport services in the majority of European countries, Northern
Africa and the Near East. Work is being done for the harmonisation
of the legal systems and the updating and modernisation
of SMPS and SMGS with a view to their harmonisation
with the legal regulations of CIM and CIV. In particular, these issues concern
the transport of dangerous goods. A concrete example is the entry into force of
the regulations, specified in Annex 2 of SMGS as of 1st July 2006 and related
to the transport of dangerous goods, which was harmonised
with the requirements of RID 2005 (part of COTIF). Therefore, as regards the
transport of dangerous goods, the legal requirements have been brought into
unison.
There has been some significant progress on the
introduction of a common CIM/SMGS consignment note. At the international
conference on transport law, held in Kiev in 2003, the participants signed a
protocol for the overcoming of legal barriers for freight services in Europe.
The main problem is the necessity of changing the transport documents at the
borders, where the transport regime for freight services is changed. In
September this year, we intend to implement the pilot journey of the first
freight train along Corridor I (Crete Corridor II) between Berlin and Moscow
with the unified CIM/SMGS consignment note. Thus, it will no longer be necessary
to re-forward the cargo at the border between the two systems, which also
cancels the change of CIM consignment note with the SMGS consignment note and
vice versa.
OSJD cooperates actively with the International Union of
Railways (UIC). Two joint working groups have been established. The first one
addresses the issues of border crossings along the railway corridors. The aim
is to elaborate solutions for all issues arising along the whole length of the
corridor and the establishment of conditions facilitating border crossing so
that no extra time is lost in stops at the borders. There are some technical
problems as well, such as the difference in track gauge, but these problems
have been successfully resolved. For a number of years, the technology for
automatic gauge adjusting of the axles SUW 2000 has been implemented at the
border crossings Medika/Mostiska
and Trakiski/Sestokai and
soon it will be implemented at other border crossings with even greater
traffic. The second UIC/OSJD working group is assigned with tasks, related to
encoding and informatics.
OSJD cooperates closely with the Asian representation of
the UN (ESCATO), based at Bangkok. The joint actions mainly concern container
transport by rail. Particular results of this cooperation are the container
trains from Mongolia and China to Western Europe. The objective is to establish
a transport product, which is an alternative to the seaway
services along the route from the Far East to Europe. The main advantage of
this land service would be the journey time (10-12 days) against 3-4 weeks by
sea.
The priority objective is the growth of transport services
between Europe and Asia. Thus, the main focus is on the transport corridors.
These do not concern only the European corridors. The extensions of the
European railway corridors to the Far East demand joint efforts together with
the UN representation offices. Given the current dynamic economic development
of Far-East countries, it is expected that freight flows to Europe will grow
quickly. It is a matter of flexible transport policy for the railway to be able
to undertake significant volumes of these freight flows, thus increasing its
share on the international transport market. OSJD will direct its efforts
accordingly.
Following the kind invitation of the Bulgarian Minister of
Transport, Mr Petar Mutafchiev, and in honour of the
50th anniversary of OSJD, the XXXIV Jubilee Session of the ministers of
transport will be held in Sofia on 12th-15th June. Again, as 50 years ago, the
capital of Bulgaria will welcome OSJD representatives. They will discuss the
Work Programme for the period 2006-2007, the budget
of OSJD and the progress of working parties. The railway corridors will be one
of the highlights of the discussions. It will be proposed that coordination
structures (Managing Committees) be established for each particular corridor.
Further improvements of SMGS and SMPS will also be debated.
Mr Szozda
said that he regularly reads our magazine and pointed out that after it was
taken over by the new co-publisher, both the graphic
design and the contents of “Zhelezopaten transport”
have been greatly improved. He considers the English resume of the contents a
good idea and expressed satisfaction with the publication of articles from the
OSJD Bulletin. He also noted that eminent public figures are presented in the
“Guest” column of the magazine and considers that the wider range of contents
and enhancement of informative value of the publications undoubtedly
contributes to the increasing readership, which no longer is limited only to
railway staff and Bulgarian audience.