English Version - United Nations Development Programme Romania

a constant decline. Thus, in 1998, 62.4 billion tons /km were transported. Out of these 62.4 billion tons
km, 19.7 billion tons /km were transported by train, and 15.8 billion tons /km were transported on roads.
In the same year, 24.2 billion passengers /km were transported, 13.4 billion passengers km by train and 9
billion passengers km on roads.
Moreover, the transition to a market economy profoundly changed the way in which specialised
transportation units are organised and the way in which property is organised. Specifically, the transition
process led to an increase in the number of privately owned businesses and joint ownership. Currently,
the transportation sector and related sectors have 12,250 active authorised and licensed economic agents
who represent 6% of the total wage earners in the economy.
In the context of the existing legislative framework, private businesses and economic agents can
act freely and independently, since the Department of Transport, as a governmental authority, no longer
acts as a manager and administrator, but rather as a regulating, authorising, and licensing body.
Access to the transportation infrastructure is free and equal for all transport operators. The
maintenance of the infrastructure is predominantly provided by the national companies resulted from the
reorganised units of the state transport sector.
The main goal of the transport policy is the restructuring of the national transport system and its
proper functioning, with a view to create of a homogeneous transport system, connected, from an
infrastructural point of view, to the pan-European road network, which should also connect more isolated
areas. This restructuring process should consider offering high-quality domestic and international
transportation services.
Ensuring the financing, from domestic and external resources, of major projects that seek to
modernise the transportation infrastructure is a priority matter, since the modernisation of the
transportation infrastructure would stimulate the development of other sectors of the economy. This
would also reduce unemployment, since every employee in the transportation sector leads to the creation
of 5 jobs in sectors related to transportation (maintenance, constructions, services).
Central and local administrations, as well as economic agents, should get involved in finding the
financial resources needed to make sure that the impact of traffic on the environment is reduced (this
includes the rigorous limiting of the level of polluting emissions and the in-traffic controlling of these
emissions).
The guiding principles in the policies leading to the sustainable development of the transportation
sector are:
On the domestic market, regulations are meant to bring the level of pollution to E.U.'s standards.
This includes: fiscal and legislative co-ordination, competition, equal access, market liberalisation,
rehabilitation and modernisation of infrastructure and equipment, ensuring communications and cooperation
between different means of transport, improving the quality of transportation services and
of the related sectors, development of a managerial culture capable of leading transport companies
and joint-stock companies, internalising external costs, guaranteeing communitarian rights (goods --
motor vehicles, services, persons -- the right to settle), signing of the transport agreement with the
E.U., which is being negotiated, as well as the E.U. agreement regarding the incidental transportation
of passengers, the agreement between Romania and the E.U. regarding the road transit of goods, the
Agreement between the CE and its associates (including Romania), Norway, and Iceland regarding
the creation of a collective flight zone.
Creation of a pan-European transport network and its connection to the TRACECA corridor
(Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia). In order to accomplish this, it will be necessary to
concentrate financial resources (from the state budget and from external sources) on the
modernisation and development of a transport infrastructure, and, in order to achieve this, to attract
non-refundable financing from the PHARE Program. There are already funds designated to the
development and improvement of transportation infrastructure (the special fund for public roads and
the special fund for airlines). Regarding the connection to TRACECA, the pan-European corridor
number VII, with the Danube possibly playing an important role (connecting Western Europe and the
Black Sea through the Danube-Black Sea Canal), since water transportation is cheap and has a low
level of polluting potential.
Guaranteeing traffic safety and safety of goods and passengers . It will be necessary to comply
with technical standards, to modernise the infrastructure, means of transport, and equipment, to grant
technical licences for vehicles, to regulate the transportation of dangerous goods, to implement and
apply the Control System regarding the compliance of ships (PSC and fire prevention) with
international provisions.
Environmental protection and conservation. A sustainable transport policy must be achieved by
using ecological types and means of transportation. It will be necessary to appeal to de-polluting
technologies and preventive measures in order to diminish the effects of pollution (for example,
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