Main United Nations Road Transport Agreements
             CONTENTS
                            03   Main United Nations Road Transport Agreements and Conventions 
                                 administered by the UNECE Inland Transport Committee
                            03   The Accession to and Implementation of these Agreements 
                                 Is of Vital Importance for EuroMed Countries
                            04   Road Transport and Road Traffic afety
                            06   acilitating Crossborder Transport
                            08   Transport of angerous oods and  erishable oodstuffs
                            10   Vehicle Regulations
      This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union within the framework of the EuroMed Road, 
      Rail and Urban Transport Project. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of SAFEGE, in Consortium with 
      SYSTRA, the National Technical University of Athens, Dar Al Omran, IDOM, FIT Consulting, Land Transport Regulatory Commis-
      sion and LEEGO, and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.
       2   Main UN Road Transport Agreements
          MAIN UNITED NATIONS ROAD TRANSPORT 
          AGREEMENTS AND CONVENTIONS 
          ADMINISTERED BY THE UNECE INLAND 
          TRANSPORT COMMITTEE  
          Out of the 58 United Nations transport 
          agreements and conventions admin-            These agreements­
          istered by the Inland Transport Com-
          mittee of the United Nations Econom-         •  Set the basic regulatory framework and international standards  
          ic Commission for Europe (UNECE),               facilitating cross-border road transport; 
          13 are of particular relevance to road 
          transport. They address road transport       •  Serve as models for national regulations;
          and road traffic safety (4), border cross-
          ing facilitation (4), transport of danger-   •  Reflect 60 years of experience of international collaboration in
          ous goods and perishable foodstuffs               facilitating international transport
          (2), and vehicle regulations (3).
          THE ACCESSION TO AND IMPLEMENTATION OF 
          THESE AGREEMENTS IS OF VITAL 
          IMPORTANCE FOR EUROMED COUNTRIES
          UN road transport agreements are un-
          der-explored in the EuroMed region.          The EuroMed RRU Transport 
          Having so far failed to accede to them,       ro€ect has issued a concerted 
          most EuroMed countries cannot reap           action  plan  for  all  EuroMed 
          their proven benefits. Many EuroMed          countries‚ providing­
          countries lack the capacity to prepare       •  Technical assistance and 
          for accession, and to fully implement           training through dedicated 
          international agreements.                       seminars;
          Addressing the vital need for EuroMed        •  Awareness raising through 
          partner countries to comply with UN             national and regional Eu-
          legislation, the European Union set up          roMed workshops;
          the EuroMed RRU Transport Project.           •  Study tours on good prac-
          UNECE and the International Road                tices involving experts from 
          Transport Union (IRU) have joined to            all EuroMed countries;
          strongly advocate the UN agreements 
          in the EuroMed region.                       •  Ad hoc advisory missions to 
                                                          EuroMed partner countries.
                                                                                                  alais des Nations‚ eneva­ 
                                                                                                           © UNECE
                                                                                               EUROMED Transport Project        3
          ROAD TRANSPORT AND ROAD 
          TRAFFIC SAFETY
          The Convention on Road Traffic,                  of a Contracting Party to make the ad-            international traffic. The Convention is 
          of 1968, aims at facilitating interna-           mission of vehicles in its territory sub-         crucial for facilitating international road 
          tional road traffic and increasing road          ject to an applicable national law - that         traffic, international transport and trade 
          safety through the adoption of uniform           Contracting Parties are bound to admit            as well as tourism. Contracting Parties 
          road traffic rules. The Convention sets          to their territories in international traffic     on 31 March 2013: 72 States, of which 3 
          up commonly agreed rules on all fac-             motor vehicles and drivers that fulfil the        EuroMed (Israel, Morocco and Tunisia).
          tors influencing international road traf-        conditions laid down in the Convention 
          fic and its safety, including the driver         and to recognize vehicle registration 
          and the vehicle. Contracting Parties  certificates issued by other Contract-
          must comply and ensure compliance  ing Parties.  In addition, the Conven-
          with these rules. The Convention es-             tion details the basic conditions for the 
          tablishes - without affecting the right          admission of vehicles and drivers in 
          EUR„…A†ET ‡ˆ‰‰ ŠIT‹UANIA‚ emifinal game‚ rance vs Russia­ 
          I…A‚ I…A EUR„ E‚ UNECE‚ Ministry of Transport and …asŒetball ederation Šithuania 
          Road afety Campaign
          The Convention on Road Signs  scribes common norms for traffic light 
          and Signals, of 1968, establishes                signals and signals for pedestrians. 
          a set of commonly agreed road signs              Moreover, the Convention prescribes 
          and signals. It classifies road signs in         uniform conditions for road markings, 
          three categories: danger warning, reg-           signs for road works and signals and 
          ulatory and informative, and provides            gates for level crossings. Contracting 
          for each of them definitions and phys-           Parties on 31 March 2013: 62 States, of 
          ical appearance, including dimensions,           which 2 EuroMed (Morocco and Tunisia).
          shapes and colours, graphic symbols 
          and norms for ensuring their visibility 
          and legibility. The Convention also pre-                                                                           © UNECE
            4
            4       Main UN Road Transport Agreements