Greetings - Pasquarelli

Greetings to the Participants in the Caravan Beijing-Berlin-Brussels

Enrico Grillo Pasquarelli Director, DG Transport and Energy, European Commission

The Truck Caravan itinerary - from Beijing toBerlin and Brussels - is clear evidence that road transport is a viable option to link production and distribution centres anywhere across the entire Eurasian continent. Goods transport by road can become part of the complex logistic chain, often using multi-modal transport operations, to link distant points of cargo origin and destination. This time, goods will be carried by the Caravan from China to Belgium? - just as they used to be in ancient times - via the legendary Silk Road.

Many merchants and travellers used this route, but the most famous of all was a European called Marco Polo, who was the first to reach China by land. His trip opened a route which for many years brought Eastern wonders to Europe (such as the warm perfume of tea, the smooth luxury of silk and homage to human intelligence the game of chess).

Today, the IRU is reviving this ancient route in the hope that it can become an alternative to existing maritime itineraries from East Asia to Europe and the Truck Caravan will provide a real publicity for the resurrection of this ancient link.