The International Transport Forum (ITF: International Transport Forum) is an intergovernmental organization with 66 member countries and is politically autonomous, although it is administratively integrated into the OECD. In fact, the ITF was born from the European Transport Conference, from which it inherited the regulatory functions relating to the determination of the number of licenses that States can issue to road haulage companies. But it has evolved over time, first with administrative integration under the aegis of the OECD, and then progressively widening its affiliations outside Europe, coming to include all the BRICS countries, excluding South Africa. Today, the ITF represents the largest representation of governments on the subject, meeting annually at ministerial level, making it the leading global platform for transport policy dialogue.
The ITF is, in fact, the only international body covering all modes of transport and therefore acts as a platform for discussion and pre-negotiation of policy issues related to all modes of transport. In addition to performing regulatory functions and representing a formidable tool for dialogue and exchange between countries, the ITF works for transport policies that improve people’s lives, through a better understanding of the role of transport in economic growth, environmental sustainability and social inclusion.
The ITF Strategic Plan is based on five pillars: digitalisation; decarbonisation; connectivity; safety and health; and accessibility for all and inclusion. In practice, the organization analyzes trends, facilitates knowledge sharing of best practices and promotes dialogue with civil society. The main products include reference studies and reports for the sector, such as the State of Transport Yearbook, the Road Safety Report, the Transport Statistical Yearbook, the Logistics Performance of the Maritime Sector, the Decarbonisation of Road Vehicles, Modal choices in the transport of goods. Italy is represented at the technical tables and the ministerial summit of the ITF by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, which presides over the discussions to ensure that Italy’s interests are protected, as well as exchanging and receiving information in order to speed up the sustainability processes and improve the quality of life of citizens and the environment.