Óscar Puente addresses ways to strengthen international collaboration in transport decision-making in Paris

The Minister for Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Óscar Puente, together with the Secretary General of the International Transport Forum (ITF), Young Tae Kim, and the Permanent Representative of Spain to the OECD, Ximo Puig

During his official visit to Paris, the Minister for Transport and Sustainable Mobility met with the Secretary General of the International Transport Forum (ITF), Young Tae Kim, to analyse public policies being implemented in the transport sector internationally and discuss the most appropriate ways to maintain multilateralism in decision-making within supranational entities.

During the meeting, Óscar Puente emphasised Spain's commitment to this key organisation for multilateralism in the sector, as it analyses public policies implemented across all modes of transport and their contribution to national development, societal connectivity, and environmental sustainability. At a time when the institution's funding model is the focus of debate, Puente reiterated the need for the ITF's advisory work to be supported by mandatory contributions from member countries, essential for "the ITF to offer high-quality research and public policy work."

The debate on funding and the contributions of different countries to this intergovernmental body is taking place within a context of economic and geopolitical uncertainty, in which the role of international institutions is being questioned by certain sectors. In this regard, Spain continues to advocate for the multilateral development of international policies-including transport policies-which is why Minister Óscar Puente reiterated Spain's commitment to the ITF, as well as his personal desire to participate in the opening plenary session on 6 May, 2026, in Leipzig, where the annual summit of transport ministers will take place.

About the International Transport Forum (ITF)

The International Transport Forum is an intergovernmental organisation administratively integrated into the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and politically autonomous. It currently has 69 member countries, including Spain, and serves as a leading forum for the analysis and formulation of public transport policies. It also organises the main international summit of transport ministers annually in Leipzig, Germany. Azerbaijan currently holds the ITF presidency. In addition to the annual summit in Leipzig, the ITF also promotes regional dialogues, including those held in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Spain's participation in the ITF has traditionally been active, reflecting the importance of the transport sector in our country and Spain's interest in contributing to key international debates in this field. Within the framework of the ITF, Spain has also strengthened its contacts with third countries, including those outside the European Union, particularly with partners in Latin America, using this forum as a space for cooperation, political dialogue, and the exchange of best practices in transport.

Non official translation