On 19 October 2009 the first ever organised Asia-Europe Transport Development Forum starts in Vilnius, Lithuania. Business proposals for future cooperation of both continents and key messages of the Forum will be delivered to the 1st ASEM Transport Ministers' Meeting taking place in Vilnius on 19-20 October.
Transport Development Forum will analyse the principal trends of global economy and its impact on transport and logistics. It will discuss the attitude of business toward the demands of transport infrastructure linking Europe and Asia, as well as in regard to investments required for the development of this infrastructure, and explore the opportunities of public-private partnership in the sector.
The Forum is attended by significant stakeholders of international transport, such as "Hupac Intermodal SA", "Shanghai International Port (Group) Co.", "Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies", "China Shipping Container Lines", "Maersk Line", China Ocean Shipping Company COSCO, International Road Transport Union (IRU), the World Bank, Russian Railways and others - more than 200 participants.

The attitude of business towards the development of European and Asian transport system will be presented by participants to the 1st ASEM Transport Ministers' Meeting (ASEM TMM).
On 19 October, at 10.00 the Ministerial Meeting on "Rail Baltica" development will commence. Perspectives of implementation of "Rail Baltica" project and its future plans will be discussed by the EC Transport Commissioner and Transport Ministers of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Finland.
On 19 October, at 14.00 the 1st ASEM Transport Ministers' Meeting will open in Vilnius. Ministers and/or their representatives from ASEM member states, high-level officials of the European Commission, representatives of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretariat will take part in the Meeting. (ASEM countries are: EU member states and Southeast Asian countries, such as China, Japan, India, Korea, Singapore, etc.). 35 delegations of countries of both continents have confirmed their participation.

Meeting Venues: Reval Hotel Lietuva, Crowne Plaza Vilnius Hotel

Event website: www.asemtransport.org

More information:

Ms. Ingrida Kutkienė
Chief specialist
International Relations and Protocol Division
Transport Policy Department
Ministry of Transport and Communications

Tel. +370 5 239 3892, +370 618 49951
E-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
www.asemtransport.org