Overview

The ASEAN leaders, at their summit in November 2002, stressed that the liberalization of intra-ASEAN trade in services required strengthening transport links, interconnecting telecommunications, increasing the use of information and communications technology, and liberalizing investment in these sectors.

The ASEAN Transport Ministers (ATM), at their meeting in Jakarta on 19 September 2002, signed Protocol 9 on Dangerous Goods, which provided for the simplification of procedures and requirements for the transit transport of dangerous goods in ASEAN, using internationally accepted standards and guidelines. This Protocol is one of the implementing protocols under the ASEAN Framework Agreement on the Facilitation of Goods in Transit.

The ASEAN Senior Transport Officials/Directors-General of Civil Aviation signed the ASEAN Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Air Freight Services on 19 September 2002, as a first step in the full liberalization of air freight services in the ASEAN region. The MOU allows the designated airlines of each ASEAN member country to operate all-cargo (with 3rd/4th freedom air traffic rights) services up to 100 tonnes weekly with no limitations on frequency and aircraft type.

The ASEAN Land Transport Infrastructure Integration Roadmap (LTIIR) and Transport Facilitation of Goods Roadmap (TFGR) have been adopted by the Transport Ministers. The LTIIR sets out project development and implementation plan towards the realization of the ASEAN Highway and SKRL projects. The TFGR provides an efficient, integrated and harmonized system for the operationalization of the ASEAN transport facilitation agreements covering transit and inter-state transport of goods, as well as multimodal transport operations, to support AFTA and improve transport logistics in the region. A Roadmap for ASEAN Competitive Air Services Policy is under consideration.

In the implementation of the Hanoi Plan of Action/Successor Plan of Action in Transport, several technical assistance and funding support have been received. These include technical assistance for the open-sky study from Australia; HRD activities in river transport and road traffic management from China; maritime sector and cruise studies, road safety, Intelligent Transport System (ITS), and urban transport from Japan; highway preparation studies from the Republic of Korea; dangerous goods planning in ports from Germany; and HRD in inland waterways/ferries transport from Belgium. Meanwhile, the Asian Development Bank and the International Maritime Organization have extended technical assistance in road safety studies and a study on ASEAN accession to IMO conventions, respectively.

The 4th Meeting of the Special Working Group on the Singapore to Kunming Rail Link (SKRL) was held in Yangon on 11-12 December 2002. They agreed to undertake the following: convening of a high-profile seminar/forum, establishment of a specialized project monitoring body, establishment of a multinational consortium, and developing innovative incentive package for the private sector.

The ASEAN transport ministers have supported the implementation of the transport infrastructure component of the IAI Work Plan containing six projects with the total budget of US$ 2.5 million.

ASEAN has stepped up its transport cooperation with China and Japan. The ASEAN-Japan Joint Declaration on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership and the ASEAN-China Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation have included cooperation in the field of transportation.

On 20 September 2002, the ASEAN and Chinese Transport Ministers held their first meeting in Jakarta. The ministers agreed that building an integrated transport network for smooth and speedy movement of goods and people is a vital supporting infrastructure to a free trade area between ASEAN and China. They endorsed the Terms of Reference (TOR) for ASEAN-China transport cooperation in such areas as land transport infrastructure development and facilitation, including implementation of the SKRL project; facilitation of maritime and river transport; and the expansion of air transport services. The ASEAN Senior Transport Officials Meeting (STOM) held their first consultations with China in May 2002 in Yogyakarta.

Ministerial meeting with Japan has been scheduled in September 2003 in Myanmar. Cooperation with Japan covers promoting policy dialogue, enhancing human resource development including cooperation in the facilitation of cargo distribution and logistics, promotion of safer and sustainable shipping, enhancement of air transport safety and efficiency. Japan organized the ASEAN-Japan Transport Policy Workshop on 7-8 May 2003 in Tokyo. STOM met with its counterparts from Japan and India in September 2002 in Jakarta. ASEAN-India joint cooperative activities involve promoting transport infrastructure development and enhancing human resource development in the road, shipping and railway sectors.

Through regular dialogues, ASEAN transport officials maintained their contacts with transport-affiliated private sector organizations like the ASEAN Airlines Meeting (AAM), ASEAN Federation of Forwarders Associations (AFFA), ASEAN Ports Association (APA), Federation of ASEAN Shipowners’ Associations (FASA) and the Federation of ASEAN Shippers’ Councils (FASC).

Developments in the Transport Sector

I. Land Transport Cooperation

(a) Third ASEAN-Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP) Seminar, Bangkok, 17-19 March 2003;

(b) ASEAN Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) Experts Task Group Meetings on 8-9 July 2002 in Singapore and on 24-25 March 2003 in Kuala Lumpur, with the participation of ITS experts from Australia, Hong Kong and Japan.

(d) ASEAN-China Workshop on Road Traffic Management and Applicable Technology on 13-27 October 2002 in Wuxi City;

(e) Sixth ASEAN-Japan Workshop-cum-Seminar on Urban Transportation (AJUT) and 11^th Seminar on Land Re-Adjustment and Urban Development Osaka City, 4-6 December 2002;

(f) Finalization of the ASEAN highway numbering system consisting of three numeric designations. Harmonization of the road signage for the ASEAN highway, to include the requirements for tourism purposes and road safety;

(g) Implementation of the ASEAN-ROK Preparation Studies for the ASEAN Highway Network, with the Korea Transport Institute (KOTI) as implementing agency. The first Project Implementation Meeting was held in Singapore on 4-5 March 2003.

II. Air Transport Cooperation

(i) ASEAN Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX) 2002, Singapore, 21 November 2002;

(j) Completion of the ASEAN Search and Rescue (SAR) Directory;

(k) Opening of new routes and increases in frequencies in other routes; expansion of air services agreements between some ASEAN countries and continuing efforts made by ASEAN airlines to promote the Visit ASEAN Campaign (VAC) in particular, and intra-ASEAN air travel;

(l) Continuing improvement of air navigation and air traffic services to further enhance safety and efficiency of ASEAN skies; through Communication, Navigation and Surveillance/ Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) implementation and operational trials, implementation of Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum (RVSM) in ASEAN, etc. Adoption of the phased implementation for the Global Positioning System (GPS) Non Precision Approach (NPA), as well as en-route, arrival and departure GPS procedures;

(m) Implementation of the Airborne Collision Avoidance System (ACAS) on international commercial air transport aeroplanes;

(n) Implementation of contingency plan in ASEAN member countries in accordance with the ICAO contingency plan - Contingency Route Asia Middle East and Europe (CRAME);

(o) Ongoing preparation of an ASEAN Civil Aviation Training Center (CATC) exchange programs and syllabi;

(p) Availability of training awards at the Singapore Aviation Academy and the CATC Malaysia for ASEAN countries and the ongoing networking cooperation between the ASEAN CATCs;

(q) Ongoing air transport sectoral negotiations for the fourth package of commitments under the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Services;

(r) Implementation of the Preparing ASEAN for Open Sky Policy Study in May 2003, under the ASEAN-Australia Development Cooperation Program (AADCP) Regional Economic Support Facility;

III. Maritime Transport Cooperation

(s) Completion of the ASEAN Maritime Transport Sector Development Study, with Thailand hosting a workshop on 29-30 July 2002;

(t) First IMO-ASEAN Workshop on the Drafting and Updating of Maritime Legislations to Support Adoption and Accession by ASEAN Member Countries to IMO Conventions, Singapore, 13-14 March 2003;

(u) Completion of the four pilot courses in port management, traffic engineering, infrastructure management and plan evaluation hosted by the ASEAN Inland Waterways and Ferries Training Center in Palembang.

(v) Finalization of the ASEAN near coastal voyage limits and formulation of the common sets of requirements in terms of Grade and Syllabi for the certification of Deck Officers and Marine Engineer Officers for ASEAN near coastal voyages.

(w) Uploading in the ASEANWEB (www.aseansec.org) of the Directory of ASEAN Maritime Training Centers and Educational Institutions and the ASEAN Search and Rescue (SAR) Cooperation Contact Points;

(x) Regional Workshop on Regional Cooperation on Marpol Implementation and Port Waste Management, Shah Alam, 17-18 February 2003;

IV. Transport Facilitation Cooperation

(y) On-going preparations for the convening of the first meeting of the regional Transit Transport Coordinating Board and development of the ASEAN’s carrier liability scheme for international road transport.