The global crisis causes trouble the TRACECA

In 2012, the transit cargo carriages through Azerbaijan section of Corridor TransEvropa-Caucasus-Asia (TRACECA) amounted to 15.718.800 tons. This is  by 3.2% less than in 2011, the State Statistics Committee (SSC.)

The share of the railroad totaled 7.4 million tons (-6.1%), maritime transport - 8.3 million tons (-0.5%) transit.

According to the State Customs Committee, in 2012 the volume of freight transportation through Azerbaijan totaled 16.7 million tons (+5%).

The Azerbaijani government has always stressed the importance of country's transit potential, making huge investments for the development of transport systems. However, it has never reported about the financial benefits to ensure the transport of goods in transit through the country.

Reduction of transit carriages was noted in other countries participating in the program. Experts point to a reduction of transit routes in TRACECA transport of coal, oil and petroleum products, mineral fertilizers.

Drop of transit carriages is connected with the global economic crisis, as well as economic and political crises in some EU countries, Asia, and North Africa.

However, analysis of the situation showed that additional transit goods can be attracted due to the introduction of a more liberal border and customs regime, that is, reducing their delays at border crossings under the pretext of various tests and deadlines for issuing permits.

Interregional technical assistance programs TRACECA was initiated in May 1993 to develop a transport corridor from Europe through the Black Sea, the Caucasus, the Caspian Sea with access to the Central Asian countries. Program participants are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Moldova, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, and Iran. The project is funded by the European Union.

Countries TRACECA-members connect the implementation  of their geopolitical and economic opportunities to the development of transport and communication networks - annual trade between Asia and Europe, more than $ 2 trillion; the share of transportation costs  is  $200 billion.—08d—