The current trends in the development of transport systems point to emerging opportunities for multimodal transport to become a key driver of sustainable development by allowing each mode to be played to its specific strengths, while complementing others in offering seamless transport solutions. Through multimodal transport, existing capacities and infrastructure can be used more effectively, serve more adequately the requirements of global supply chains and promote a better balance between modes.
The existing legal frameworks, however, do not reflect developments that have taken place in terms of transport patterns, technology and markets. Instead, the present legal framework consists of several international conventions designed to regulate unimodal carriage, diverse regional/sub-regional agreements, national laws and standard term contracts.
The need to develop up-to-date legal frameworks for international multimodal transport operations that would be instrumental in the efficient operation of dry ports and intermodal transport corridors in the region and beyond has been stressed by the by the Working Group on Dry Ports at its 3rd Meeting in November 2019.
Based on this recommendation, a project on the development of multimodal legal frameworks in the Asia-Pacific region has been launched and the secretariat has developed a background paper proposing several options on how to approach the harmonization of the legal framework for multimodal transport.
With a view to facilitating the discussion on those options by the ESCAP member States and identifying the priority direction of further work in this area, the secretariat was initially planning to organize the first expert meeting on multimodal legal frameworks on 18-19 March 2020 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and related travel restrictions imposed by the governments across the region, the meeting had to be postponed and is now being organized in the virtual format on 26-27 August 2020.
The virtual expert group meeting is expected to:
- Provide a platform for member States to share their vision on the approaches to the development of up-to-date harmonized legal frameworks for multimodal transport operations
- Review and provide feedback on the background paper prepared by the secretariat
- Advise on the main direction of secretariat’s further work on the development of relevant and practically meaningful tools for the harmonization of legal frameworks for multimodal transport operations in Asia and the Pacific
Should you require additional information, please contact Mr. Fedor Kormilitsyn at [email protected]and/or Ms. Ariadne Abel at [email protected].
Additional Documents
Presentations
- 1. ESCAP presentation - Harmonization of legal frameworks for multimodal transport in Asia and the Pacific
- 2. Country presentation - China
- 3. Country presentation - India
- 4. Country statement - Russian Federation
- 5. Country presentation - Thailand
- 6. Country presentation - Turkey
- 7. ESCAP presentation - Selected legal issues affecting multimodal transport operations in Asia and the Pacific
- 8. Resource person - Some legal issues concerning the multimodal transport in the Asia-Pacific region
- 9. UNCTAD presentation - International regulation of liability for multimodal transport
- 10. CIT presentation - CIT multimodality legal framework
- 11. Resource person - Drafting core features of a harmonised multimodal legal regime
- 12. AITD presentation
- 13. MIIT presentation - Unifying characteristics object of the combined transport
