IRU General Assembly unanimously adopts a Resolution asserting the need for digital maps worldwide, as their implementation and use would help ensure even more efficient, secure, safe and sustainable international road transport.

Geneva – At its General Assembly held today, IRU Members unanimously adopted a Resolution on the need for digital road maps to further promote sustainable trade, tourism, travel and international road transport. Experience has shown that digital maps make a significant contribution to improving productivity, facilitation and security of road transport in areas of the world where they are available.

Currently, digital navigation maps in many emerging markets and developing regions around the world are unavailable or fail to meet the requirements of international road transport operators, despite the huge potential these regions have for further developing international trade, tourism and travel by road.

As inappropriate procedures at borders account for 40% of time lost in transport and close to 40% of transport costs due to “unofficial payments”, implementing and using such digital maps will considerably reduce transport times and costs, while offering drivers better working conditions.

The IRU Resolution therefore calls upon Governments and competent international organisations to:

- work in Public Private Partnership with the IRU to urgently develop high quality, standardised digital road maps, which include the location of ancillary road infrastructure for drivers and passengers;

- define road types (highways, trunk roads, etc.) and road surfaces (paved, unpaved) across all countries; and

- provide map makers with favourable conditions to permit them to develop digital maps, and assist them with the improvement of digital road data and regular updates of road and ancillary infrastructure data, such as safe parking areas, gas stations, motels and border crossing points.

The promotion of the development of digital maps for the road transport industry will be jointly undertaken by the IRU and the Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) TRACECA. Progress reports will be presented at the coordination meeting of International Organisations and Financial Institutions involved in the promotion and development of trade, travel and tourism, which will take place in Amman, Jordan, in the framework of the 7th IRU Euro-Asian Road Transport Conference & Ministerial Meeting on 12-13 June 2013.

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