MULTIMODAL TRANSPORT IN NATIONAL LEGISLATION AND INTERNATIONAL CONTEXT

Abstract

Introduction. Multimodal transportation is a key component of the modern world transport system, and the corresponding term is gaining more and more importance in the context of the globalization of the world economy and international trade. The experience of European countries, in particular Germany, Poland and the Netherlands, shows that the effective organization of multimodal transportation is one of the key factors of successful integration into the European transport system. Ukraine, adopting this experience, can achieve similar results by intensifying investments in the development of its transport infrastructure, multimodal transport hubs and ports, as well as by improving the relevant regulatory and legal framework. Purpose. To investigate the development of national legislation in the field of multimodal transportation, to identify and analyze terminological contradictions between national and international norms for the regulation of such transportation. Results. The work considers the definition of the concept of "multimodal transportation" in accordance with the UN Convention on International Multimodal Transport of Goods, which is used in the field of international law and statistics; analyzed the Law of Ukraine "On Multimodal Transportation", which was adopted in 2021; the main innovations of this Law are outlined and its positive aspects are emphasized; attention is drawn to some shortcomings and contradictions of the Law of Ukraine "On Multimodal Transportation", which cause certain issues of a debatable nature, and in the future may cause certain disputes in the legal and organizational aspects of multimodal transportation. Conclusions. The adoption of the Law of Ukraine "On Multimodal Transportation" marks significant changes in the regulatory and legal regulation of this field of activity and is a significant step towards the integration of the country's transport system into the European transport network and the harmonization of the legal framework in the field of transport technologies and systems with international standards. The definition of the term "multimodal transportation" in the Law of Ukraine "On Multimodal Transportation" corresponds to many international norms, and also has its own peculiarities. At the same time, the absence of the concept of "intermodal transportation" in the Law of Ukraine "On Multimodal Transportation" indicates gaps in the adaptation of Ukrainian legislation to modern world and European practices. The definition of the term "combined transportation" through the concept of "multimodal transportation" in the Law of Ukraine "On Multimodal Transportation" and through the concept of "intermodal transportation" in international sources demonstrates a change of concepts and causes a terminological collision, which in the future will have negative consequences for the organization and practical implementation of relevant transportation. The combination of two definitions in one concept of "combined transportation" in the Law of Ukraine "On Multimodal Transportation" that are used in the international context to designate separately "intermodal" and "combined" transportation also proves the fact of terminological inconsistency of national legislation with documents adopted in the EU in terms of multimodal, intermodal and combined cargo transportation. In view of the results obtained in the research and the conclusions drawn, the work recommends certain ways for the further development of multimodal transportation in Ukraine.