Russian-Polish negotiations consolidated the stable position of Russian carriers

During the meeting of the Russian-Polish Mixed Commission on International Road Transport, which took place in Sochi on August 1-2, 2012, the representatives of the parties managed to reach an agreement on bilateral and transit cargo transportation, as well as discuss a number of nuances of the process.

The session was chaired by Deputy Ministers of Transport of Poland and Russia T. Jarmuziewicz and N.A. Asaul. Moreover, ASMAP President and General Director E.S. Moskvichev and A.N. Kurushin, as well as the deputy of the latter, P.F. Pavlyuk, board member E.A. Popov and head of the department of traffic organization A.A. Lokhov, took part in the work of the commission.

The Russian delegation proposed a scheme of applying Russian transit and bilateral permits by the Polish carriers, which took into account all aspects of transporting goods from other countries. As a result of the discussion on the scheme representatives from both parties agreed on a set of rules for processing CMR consignment notes for each case of freight traffic. The parties managed to reach agreements, which allow setting up for the next years cargo transportation in the whole European direction, including the route between Russia and Poland.

The main task to be solved is to ensure, from a practical point of view, the principle of freedom of transit, which is stated in the current intergovernmental agreement. To this end, it was decided to exchange transit and bilateral permits during 2013-2015, without restrictions and as required. At the same time, restrictions on the transport of goods from other countries remain at a level beneficial to Russia and Poland.

Such a decision would be a major step to consolidate the stable position of Russian transport companies and allow them to plan the development of their own business on a long-term basis.

In the course of the meeting it was decided to exchange permits for the current year of 2012 till 20.08.2012 inclusive. The number of permits for transport companies of Poland and Russia amounted to 70 thousand pieces each. Russian carriers accounted for 67 thousand transit and bilateral permits, and only 3 thousand permits for cooperation with third countries. Polish permits were divided differently - in the ratio of 50 thousand transit and bilateral permits to 20 thousand foreign ones.

In the same days of August 1-2 a meeting of the Russian Ministry of Transport Commission was held on the issue of permits distribution. At the meeting it was decided to issue additional foreign permits to carriers, which do not have a quota or to companies that have already used their annual quota.

Overall, the agreements achieved open up new opportunities for Russian carriers, allowing them to fully meet the need for Polish permits in the current year of 2012. Now there is no doubt that in the future all the necessary volumes of cargo transportation both through the territory of Poland and from the third countries will be provided.

The main task to be solved is to ensure, from a practical point of view, the principle of freedom of transit stated in the current intergovernmental agreement. To this end, it was decided to exchange transit and bilateral permits without restriction and on demand during 2013-2015. At the same time, restrictions on the transport of goods from other countries remain at a level beneficial to Russia and Poland.