The International Transport Policy Plenary Session, 6th July
As part of the 50th Anniversary celebration of the World Conference on Transport Research Society (WCTRS), we are very pleased to cordially invite you to attend a Special International Transport Policy Plenary Session at the WCTR 2026 World Conference in Toulouse, France.
This plenary session represents the most ambitious international policy dialogue ever convened by WCTRS, jointly organised by WCTRS and its 17 international partner transport research organizations. It will discuss transport and supply chain responses to deal with the fast deglobalizing and fragmenting world economic and trade reality. The session will culminate in a Joint International Transport Policy Declaration with global visibility.
Transport and Supply Chain Policy Responses in a Deglobalizing and Fragmenting World
Date and Time: Monday, 6 July 2026, 16:00–17:40 (CEST)
Location: WCTR 2026 World Conference, Toulouse, France
The plenary is scheduled just before the Conference Welcome Reception (18:30)
The session will bring together leaders of international transport research societies and organizations to address shared challenges and identify positive‑sum, globally relevant policy directions for the coming decades.
The plenary will be organized around three interlinked international policy themes, each coordinated by leading experts and partner organizations.
Theme I — Building Resilient Transport Systems
Funding, Governance, and Innovation for a More Shock‑Resistant Global Transport Network
Theme leader: Dr. Jari Kauppila (ITF/OECD) – International Transport Forum to coordinate this theme with WCTRS and Club of Rome
Transport and supply‑chain systems are increasingly exposed to overlapping shocks—from extreme weather and climate events to pandemics, cyberattacks, and geopolitical disruptions. This theme focuses on how transport systems can be designed to absorb, adapt, and recover from such shocks.
Theme II — Deglobalization, Tariffs, and Chokepoints
Reconfiguring Global Supply Chains for Transport Resilience
Theme leader: Prof. Thierry Vanelslander (University of Antwerp), assisted by Tae Oum
Global transport networks are being reshaped by protectionist trade policies, rising tariffs, geopolitical tensions, and repeated chokepoint disruptions. Firms and governments alike are reassessing long‑standing just‑in‑time strategies in favor of robustness, diversification, and strategic buffers.
Theme III — Aviation at a Crossroads: Freedoms of the Air and the Future of Global Connectivity
Panel framework developed by Prof. Martin Dresner, University of Maryland, USA
International aviation relies on the long‑standing framework of the Freedoms of the Air, particularly overflight and technical landing rights. Recent geopolitical developments and airspace closures have challenged these foundations, leading to longer routes, higher costs, increased emissions, and disruptions to passenger and cargo networks.
Joint Policy Declaration
The plenary will conclude with the presentation of a Joint International Transport Policy Declaration, endorsed by WCTRS and its partner organizations whose Boards approve to co-sign. The declaration will summarize shared policy priorities and proposals for international cooperation, with the intention that it informs discussions in global fora such as World Economic Forum, OECD/ITF, UN agencies, COP processes, and multilateral development banks and related organizations.
