4 
Eight countries - Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Slovenia and 
Switzerland - are situated in the Alpine arc. The first four of them are Member States of 
the European Community, Slovenia will join in May 2004. Given the trans-boundary 
dimension of the transport system, concerning both Member States of the Community 
and non members, "measures can only be effective if international concerted strategies 
and actions are agreed." 7 Therefore, the problem of trans-Alpine transport, which is an 
international one, also has to be solved on this same level. 
In this context, the Alpine Convention (hereinafter "Convention" or "AC") and its 
Transport Protocol (hereinafter "Protocol" or "TP") attempt to reconcile economic 
interests and ecological requirements 8 . 
The present paper aims at analysing the Transport Protocol of the Alpine Convention. In 
a first step, the framework of the Alpine Convention and its Protocols in general will be 
presented. In a second step, the Transport Protocol in particular will be examined. 
Finally, the added value of the Transport Protocol to the Transport Policy of the 
European Community will be critically assessed. 
7 See supra, note 3. p.6. 
8 The text of the Alpine Convention and of the Transport Protocol is available in the official languages of 
the Alpine Convention. which are French. German. Italian and Slovenian. at: 
http://www.convenzionedellealpi.org. 
Of the Alpine Convention only, there is also an English translation, available at: 
http://europa.eu.int/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexapi!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=en&numdoc=5199 
4PC0336&model=guichett.