Overview
In 1995 the Finnish, German and Russian Ministries of Transport started a co-operative development programme in the field of transport telematics together with Russian Ministry of Railway Transport and the City of St. Petersburg. This programme aimed to find smoother solutions for the international transport chains in the Baltic Sea Region by using advanced technology (ICT - Information and Communication Technologies) alongside more traditional tools. The programme was called TEDIM - Telematics in Foreign Trade Logistics and Delivery Management.
Estonia joined the programme in 1996 and today Latvia, Poland and Lithuania are also TEDIM member countries. Denmark and Sweden have attended TEDIM-meetings as observers as well as taken part in some individual projects.
The "New Northern Europe" - a region of over 60 million inhabitants comprises North-Western Russia (including Moscow), the Scandinavian and Baltic countries, and also the northern parts of Poland and Germany. One important goal of TEDIM is to create an efficient logistics network between the TEDIM countries and the rest of the EU.
TEDIM has been accepted as one of the strategic transport network projects of the EU and it will further develop as a tool of the Northern Dimension.
TEDIM's mission includes:
- acting as a development forum for logistics co-operation between the EU and Russia, as well as between the EU member states,
- developing common Northern Dimension information management platforms,
- education about new regulations and best practises in transport and logistics,
- supporting development and use of telematics in transport and logistics.
One of the most important goals of TEDIM is to increasingly incorporate the electronic transfer of information while developing the standards demanded by these solutions. Modern ICT and other new technological applications help in finding totally new solutions for the whole delivery and transport chain. For example, real-time monitoring of transport movements by satellites is possible for even large-scale applications as well as passing messages and other important information to transport vehicles and forwards using the latest computer and mobile information technology.
The TEDIM strategy (Riga Strategy) for 2004-2008 focuses on strengthening the positive development of the Baltic Sea Region by supporting transport logistics and creating an integrated information network within the framework of the Northern Dimension. The TEDIM mission is to provide a development forum for logistics cooperation between the EU and Russia as well as between EU member countries. The main tasks are to develop common Northern Dimension information management platforms, to provide information about new regulations and best practices in logistics and to support development and use of telematics in logistics.
The TEDIM administrative organisation consists of three levels. The highest administrative body is the International Co-ordinating Committee (ICC), which meets once a year.
The Technical Co-ordinating Group (TCG) prepares the items to be discussed in the ICC meetings. The TCG meets once or twice a year, as the need arises.
The TCG is an instrument for programme and project development purposes. The TCG is divided into two activities:
- TCG Administration, which includes administrative issues and general programme co-ordination and event management.
- TCG Projects, which includes existing projects as well as new development initiatives. In addition to the above, the participants could also include project managers and other experts.
All member countries have their National TEDIM Secretariats, which together form a close network. Mr. Matti Ylösjoki, the Counsellor for Transport Affairs of the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Finland is the Co-ordinator of the TEDIM Programme. On the national level, the co-ordination of the programme varies depending on the member country.
Funding
The companies and organisations involved in TEDIM finance the projects. TEDIM is also actively looking for financial support from public investors and financing institutes of the member countries and/or from the EU.