Project Information - European Union Twinning Project

EU TWINNING PROJECT
Assistance to the Turkish Road Transport Sector

Aim of the project

The aim of this combined Turkish, German, Dutch project is to strengthen the Turkish road transport sector in line with the road transport legislation of the European Union, in terms of access to the profession, access to the markets, road safety and social, fiscal and technical rules. The project started on May 11, 2006 and will last until the end of October 2007.

What is a twinning project?

Twinning is an initiative of the European Commission launched in 1998 in the context of the preparation for enlargement of the European Union. It was conceived as an instrument for targeted administrative co-operation to assist candidate-countries to strengthen their administrative and judicial capacity to implement Community legislation as future Member States of the European Union.

Where does Turkey stand today?

The road transport sector is undoubtedly the most important inland transport mode in Turkey. Demand for road transport has grown considerably over the past decades. In 2000 road transport represented 92% of the total market and plays a crucial role in the Turkish economy.

Considerable progress has already been made in Turkey and the process of permanent adaptation is continuously under way. Nevertheless, some key issues still remain to be addressed.

What issues will be addressed?

The division of responsibilities for road transport issues throughout the Turkish government;
Improving transparency and accountability of the sector, especially the domestic road transport market;
Improving methods and knowledge of road safety issues;
Providing for adequate market information such as number of companies, vehicles, output of the sector, profitability, cost structure, to contribute to the development of adequate road transport policies.