The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe has a long history of support for developing transport connections between Europe and Asia. The EATL project, Phase I (2002–2007), Phase II (2008–2012) and Phase III (2013–2017) made transport between Europe and Asia a reality. The identification of routes, the prioritization of infrastructure investment projects, the development of a Geographical Information System (GIS) database, the analysis of non-physical obstacles to transport, the comparison study between maritime and inland transport, the organization of numerous national capacity-building workshops on transport facilitation as well as the efforts to operationalize those corridors by preparing common time schedules and tariffs, have all helped to lay the foundation for a more efficient Euro-Asian transport network. Phase III gathered 38 countries from Europe and Asia and concluded that road and rail transportation along Euro-Asian corridors is supplementing rather than competing with maritime transport, providing alternative delivery options, especially for high value and time-sensitive cargo, including in the context of growing e-commerce between Europe and Asia. During Phase III of the project, Governments in the EATL region have consistently worked on addressing the physical and non-physical obstacles to international transport on the EATL routes. Yet some key challenges remain, including: Missing or outdated road & railway links and inter-modal/transhipment infrastructure on some segments; Cumbersome border crossing, customs and transit procedures due to a lack of access to & implementation of UN legal instruments; Lack of harmonized operating and technical inter-operability standards for railway infrastructure & rolling stock; Different legal regimes for railway transport contracts; as well as discrepancies between West and Eastbound cargo traffic on EATL routes, the lack of efficient corridor specific public-private sector coordination platforms, work plans and key performance indicators. The work towards untapping the economic and trade potential of the Euro-Asian landlocked region has been undertaking. More efforts are needed to enhance the operationalisation of EATL and ECE will continue playing a leading role in this regard -- [back cover].
Euro-Asian Trade Routes and Freight Flows -- Projects and Studies in the Euro-Asian Tranport Links Region -- Main Obstacles Hampering Euro-Asian Transport Link Development -- The Future of Euro-Asian Transport Links -- Conclusions and Recommendations -- Endnotes -- References -- Annex Trade Flows Between Europe and Asia

xii, 287 p. ill.

At head of title: Economic Commission for Europe.
Available also at UNECE website (viewed 31July 2019).
"Annex Trade flows between Europe and Asia" p. 197

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