The Black Sea and Caspian Sea regions are the most important regions which are evaluated within the EU's New Neighbourhood Policy. In 2004 a High Level Group was initiated by the EU to carry out studies regarding the enlargement of European transport axes to neighbouring countries; within these studies the TRACECA corridor was considered as a core network for connecting the Trans-European transport network to Central Asia.
In its enlargement process, the EU takes transportation on a continental level into consideration, realising that the development of inner European transport links will not be efficient for the operation of global trade routes and that there is a need for an uninterrupted and efficient transport network between Europe and Asia; linking the European transport network to the Caucasus and Central Asia will be more operational.
Based on the intentions of the EU, the Black Sea/Caspian Sea countries, during the Ministerial Conference which was held in Baku in 2004 on the improvement of transport coordination with their neighbouring countries within the framework of the enlargement process and new neighbourhood policy, are determined to use the TRACECA corridor for coordination and technical support for the forthcoming cooperation on all studies of the region.
TRACECA which stands for the Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia aims to develop economic relations, trade and transport communications along the corridor. TRACECA was established in 1993 during a conference in Brussels and is now made up of 13 member states (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Romania, Turkey, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan).
The corridor starts in Eastern Europe (Bulgaria, Romania and Ukraine) and crosses Turkey. There are routes passing through the Black Sea to the ports of Samsun and also Poti and Batumi in Georgia, and then further using the transport network of the Southern Caucasus, and a land connection towards the region from Turkey. From Azerbaijan by means of Caspian ferries (Baku-Turkmenbashi, Baku-Aktau) the TRACECA route reaches the railway networks of the Central Asian states of Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. The transport networks of these states are connected to destinations in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan and reach as far as the borders of China and Afghanistan.
The main objectives of TRACECA are as follows:
• Stimulating co-operation among the participating states in all matters related to the development and improvement of trade in the region
• Promoting optimal integration of the international transport corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia "TRACECA" into Trans-European Networks (TENs)
• Identifying problems and deficiencies in the region's trade and transport systems
• Promoting TRACECA projects as a means to attract funding from International Financial Institutions (IFIs), development partners and private investors
• Defining, in terms of contents and timing, a Technical Assistance Programme to be financed by the European Commission (EU)
The Strategy of the Inter-Governmental Commission (IGC) TRACECA for Development of the International Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia up to 2015 determined the main tasks and objectives of TRACECA. The main objective of its implementation is the creation of sound, effective and integrated multi-modal transport systems on EU-TRACECA and TRACECA-TRACECA levels.
The main TRACECA priorities in compliance with The Strategy are currently:
• Enlargement of cooperation and formation of a favourable environment with a view to extend trade and to develop transport in the region, further integration of the Corridor "Europe-the Caucasus-Asia" into the Trans-European transport networks (TENs)
• Strengthening of the institutional dimensions of transport in the TRACECA countries, improvement and unification of legislation, reinforcement of human resources
• Provision of competitive services by costs, delivery times and level in comparison with alternative transcontinental routes, accompanied by weighted tariff policy, simplification and harmonisation of border-crossing procedures and ensuring reliability (security and safety) of transport
• Development of a regional transport infrastructure through defining key feasible transport projects and their implementation due to attraction of investments from various sources and optimisation of their use
As a matter of fact, The Strategy became the fundamental document determining further development of the TRACECA corridor and basic guidelines aimed at removing obstacles for its evolution. At present, activities have started for the realisation of the action plan for 2008-2009 and for the implementation of the long-term strategy of IGC TRACECA.

While implementing The Strategy, an efficient transport linkage between TRACECA member states is needed. To this end and with the assistance of the EU, TRACECA implemented many projects and is determined to implement more in the future. Within the framework of TRACECA there have been 76 projects implemented with a total cost of 157 million euro (62 technical assistance projects to the amount of 105 million euro and 14 investment projects to the amount of 52 million euro). There were efficient projects implemented aimed at solving some of the issues under consideration, including the following: "Harmonisation of Border-Crossing Procedures", "Unified Policy on Transit Fees and Tariffs", "Common Legal Basis for Transit Transportations", with the latter paying much attention to the examination of a "TRACECA Visa" introduction. This would mean simplification of administrative procedures related to transportation of transit goods through borders. Besides these, many TRACECA countries have adopted a number of normative acts which are similar to each other in their main features and/or coincide with international standards.
The great efforts made by member states in the development of the TRACECA Programme are undeniable. By realising the fact that there are many transport bottlenecks that typically cause delay in the movement of goods throughout the world within the framework of the TRACECA Programme, the governments of the thirteen beneficiary countries, with the assistance of the European Union, have tried to identify the problems and weaknesses on the TRACECA route. They are addressing them through Technical Assistance (TA) and Investment Projects (IP) within planned time frames and in a coordinated manner so that the specific requirements of each country can be integrated with the overall benefits of the whole inter-modal TRACECA freight corridor.
The projects which have currently been realised within the TRACECA Programme have positively influenced the updating of the legal basis for foreign economic relations, transport-transit policy, railways control, tariff policy improvement and its regulation aspects. Much importance is being attached to the establishment of the legal basis in the field of transport in the TRACECA member-countries as well as its unification with international law standards. Based on the results of the finalised projects many TRACECA member-countries have revised their existing laws and adopted a number of new normative acts being by their main parameters close or coincident with international standards regulating transport, communication, trade/economic investment and other spheres.

The attraction of additional freight flow to the TRACECA transport networks is a full-scale task and in future will require substantial modernisation of transport complexes, the main objectives of which are to increase the volume of foreign trade and transit traffic on the basis of international agreements, the strengthening of economic security of the Multilateral Intergovernmental Agreement (MLA) member-countries and attraction of transit traffic to the TRACECA corridor.
It is evident that the improvement of transport links only in Europe will not be efficient for the development of global commercial links; European transport networks will be more functional by reaching the newly emerging markets of the Caucasus and Central Asia. From this point of view, Turkey plays a central role in providing opportunities to Europe for its access to Central Asia and the Caucasus.
Turkey signed the Multilateral Intergovernmental Agreement in 1998. Today Turkey is an active member of TRACECA with its railway and road network connecting the East and West as well as her ports in the Black Sea such as Samsun and Haydarpasa.
Turkey has been one of the beneficiary countries in most of the completed projects. Now, Turkey is part of two ongoing projects; Improving the Maritime Links between TRACECA Corridors and TENs Corridors and Analysis and forecasting of traffic flows for the TRACECA countries and inter-regional transport integration.
The specific objectives of the first project are to provide better railway-ferry transportation between the ports of the TRACECA countries located on the Black Sea coast and hence to set up commercial links with other TRACECA countries. This is influenced by the different track gauge in Turkey (1435 mm) and in CIS countries (1520 mm) and the resulting operations. The other objective is the assistance to shipping countries and ports to implement a market research policy and to get a clear picture about the independency between optimised operations and cost reduction, tariffs and business development.
The project is composed of three phases. At the first stage, an economical and technical feasibility study including the existing services and the possibilities to enlarge the volume of traffic by establishing competitive services, modern information systems and exchange for the Black Sea and Caspian Sea TRACECA Ports has to be worked out. Based on the results of the above the next phase has to define areas were renovation or even new investments are necessary. In the last phase, shipping lines and/or ports should receive assistance in negotiations with International Financing Institutions and in the formulation of tender documents in line with international standards.

The second project has two main purposes:
• Provide and develop planning and performance measurement tools for effective trade and transport forecast in the TRACECA countries
• Promote regional transport dialogue between the EU and the Black Sea / Caspian Sea basin littoral states and their neighbours and promote coordination of regional transport initiatives and links with International Financial Organisations
Forthcoming projects to which Turkey is the beneficiary of are: Strengthening of Transport Training Capacity in Newly Independent State (NIS) countries; Logistic Centres Network for All TRACECA Countries: Central Asia, Caucasus and European TRACECA; Development of Common Security Management Systems and Cooperation in the Area of Maritime Safety and Ship Pollution Prevention for the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea; Training of Civil Aviation Administration and the Personnel Involved in the Air Transportation; Motorways of the Sea (MoS) for the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea; Transport Safety and Security; Transport dialogue and networks' interoperability between the EU and its neighbouring countries and Central Asian countries.
In Future, it seems that TRACECA will enlarge its East-West Axes. Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran have applied to TRACECA for membership. In considering the entry of new member countries to TRACECA as well as the completion of EU HLG (Higher Level Group) work on extending the Trans-European Transport Network to neighbouring countries, there is a need to review the existing TRACECA map and carry out a study to define new Ports, railway and road connections that contribute to the development of the TRACECA corridor and the region. With this understanding TRACECA has begun to make studies on updating the map. Turkey has organised a working group with relevant institutions and has proposed many changes, additional ports, road ways and railway routes for the new map.
Apart from this, Turkey has for a long time put forth her efforts regarding the use of its transport potential for the benefit of Euro-Asian transport links and has given priority to complete the missing links and upgrade the existing road and railway lines on the main axes serving international traffic between Europe and Asia and to remove bottlenecks especially on border crossings. For this purpose, the construction of several projects that are significant for the whole region and the TRACECA corridor are underway, such as the construction of the Black Sea Coastal Road, construction of dual carriage roads, the Istanbul Strait Tube Tunnel Project, the construction of new high-speed railway lines, the construction of new ports, and the modernisation of existing ones. The restructuring of all modes of transport in accordance with EU aquis is also underway.
To use Turkey's transport potential for the benefit of Euro-Asian transport links and for better coordinating TRACECA activities, a TRACECA National Secretariat Office has been established in the Ministry of Transport and a National TRACECA website has been setup by Turkey and has been in operation since 2003. Information about National TRACECA activities can be obtained by visiting its office or through the internet address www.traceca.org.tr.

*TRACECA National Secretary Of Turkey