International Expert Conference “Logistics and Transport – optimization of the distribution of goods in the regions” held in Opatija, Croatia

The expert conference on "Transport & Logistics - Optimization of the distribution of goods in the regions" took place in Opatija, Croatia on 9 November 2017. The event was organised by The Institute of the Regions of Europe (IRE) and was attended by more than 85 participants from over eight European countries.

The conference was opened by the IRE-Chairman Franz Schausberger, who pointed out that “a Transport Association Agreement with five Western Balkan countries was signed at the Western Balkans Conference in Trieste on 12 June 2017, which is also of particular importance for Croatia. This will pave the way for infrastructure improvements and better transport services throughout the region, bringing new investors to the region and contributing to their economic growth. Finally, this treaty will help the countries of the Western Balkans to strengthen neighborly relations, in particular with Croatia, to promote cross-border cooperation and, ultimately, to bring these countries closer to the European Union”.

The infrastructure is crucial for Croatian tourism. It is important to modernise the way to Central Europe. The expansion of rail transport and the development of motorways (Rijeka-Zagreb-Wien-Budapest) therefore play a decisive role. Collaboration with other ports is crucial to imports and exports, as is the need to increasing ocean traffic to the nearest port cities (Trieste, Koper, Rijeka), to the Black Sea and Baltic states. The aim is to promote regional specificities and to extend transport corridors (including Corridor Five and Ten). Croatia is open to enhanced cooperation and relations with the European Union since it is of key importance to the Primorsky-Gorski Kotar region, stated Zlatko Komadina, President of the Croatian region Primorje-Gorski Kotar.
 
“Now more than ever, common challenges as the ones faced by the transport sector in these years – in order to be effective they have to be tackled by common solutions defined at supranational level with the contribution of all the actors involved” underlined Paolo Dileno, CEI-Project Manager for EU-Transport Projects in Trieste. He also stated that “cooperation activities as IRE conference and European projects play a key role since they contribute to the definition of transnational and concrete solutions to improve freight transport in our regions".

Since 2004, the CEI Secretariat has implemented 29 projects with a total value of about 53 million euros, in fields such as transport, energy, research & innovation, and culture. Currently, 14 projects are under implementation, with a total value of 24 million EUR.

This event was co-funded by the CEI Cooperation Fund.

Franz Schausberger

Paolo Dileno