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IRU and Eurasian regional bodies call for coordinated government action on COVID-19
Global | Geneva

IRU and Eurasian regional bodies call for coordinated government action on COVID-19

15 Mar 2021 · Prosperity

Following an emergency virtual meeting on COVID-19 organised by IRU, the leaders of major Eurasian regional bodies today issued a joint statement calling for urgent and coordinated government action.

IRU Secretary General Umberto de Pretto was joined by the Secretaries General of the Permanent Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Commission TRACECA (PS IGC TRACECA), the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States (Turkic Council) and the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO).

The Secretaries General agreed on the pressing need to implement IRU’s Call for Action. In their joint statement, they urged governments to take coordinated action to mitigate the impact of the pandemic, by providing targeted financial support measures to road transport operators, harmonising border crossing procedures and encouraging the use of digital trade facilitation tools such as eTIR and e-CMR.

“Road transport companies have been delivering essential services throughout the pandemic, bringing people and goods to where they are needed. But financially they are suffering, with many on the brink of bankruptcy. Targeted financial support from governments cannot wait, it must come now to allow road transport to drive the recovery.”

Umberto de Pretto
IRU Secretary General
15 Mar 2021
Coronavirus