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Explore the impact of economic globalization, logistic changes, technical innovations, and legal regulations on road carriers' contractual liabilities. Discover how these developments shape the future of transportation and the challenges they pose.
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Impact of Economic and Technical Developments on Road Carriers’ Contractual Liability Prof. Jacques Putzeys IRU Geneva 24 February 2012 9th Symposium of Lawyers J.Putzeys - IRU - 24 02 2012
Developments • Evolution does not meanfreedom! • Eliminatingbarriersacross modes and faircompetitionentail Constraints PrimarilyPOLITICAL but also - economic - environmental - logistic - legal - technical - protective J.Putzeys - IRU - 24 02 2012
Economic Constraints • Globalization, thereforecombined transport • Lean supplychain – stock-en-route • Therefore: just-in-timedelivery • Transport is an integrated part of LOGISTICS J.Putzeys - IRU - 24 02 2012
Logistic Constraints Foresee the unforseeable! Changing company structure > IT is vital Europe 2009 Package: > access to the market > admission to the occupation > new documents (e-CMR ?) J.Putzeys - IRU - 24 02 2012
Technical Developments IT management fleet tracking cargo tracking documents Vehicles Traffic J.Putzeys - IRU - 24 02 2012
Containers • A REVOLUTION! • Technical: yes, but… • Above all legal: • “said to contain” • Unknown cargo • Unknown packaging • Impossible to check J.Putzeys - IRU - 24 02 2012
Environmental Constraints • For companies: settlement permit • For vehicles: CO² emissions • Threat to road carriers “Break the system’s dependence on oil” (EC White Paper, 2011) J.Putzeys - IRU - 24 02 2012
Legal Developments • Each mode has built its own protection instruments • But today, there is only one supply chain, therefore a single transport chain • What about transfers from one mode to another? • What about different and successive liabilities? J.Putzeys - IRU - 24 02 2012
“All Risks” Insurance • General observation: The clients don’t care The choice of a transport mode is not dictated by itsgoverninglegalframework. ° Therefore: the coverage issue reverts to the insurers Whatinsurers? The sameones! No claims!: insurers, co-insurers, reinsurers, retrocedinginsurers, etc. J.Putzeys - IRU - 24 02 2012
QUO VADIS? • Uniform legislation for all? • 1980 TCM? 2008 Rotterdam Rules? • Multimodal General Conditions? • IRU to takeinterest in multimodal transport + a more open market. Likelyevolution? Greaterliability! J.Putzeys - IRU - 24 02 2012