COTIF 1999
The Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF) of 9 May 1980, as modified by the Protocol of 3 June 1999 (Vilnius Protocol), is commonly referred to as COTIF 1999.
COTIF 1999 comprises the Convention itself, which governs the functioning of OTIF, and seven appendices that establish unified railway law.
Authentic text of the Protocol of 3 June 1999 and unofficial consolidated versions of COTIF 1999
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Protocol of 3 June 1999 for the Modification of the Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF) of 9 May 1980 adopted by the General Assembly at its 5th session from 26 May to 3 June 1999 (AG 5/3.1 and A 56-01/501.2006) – Correction of 31.03.2000 (A 56-01/506.2000) – Correction of 29.06.2001 (A 56- 01/502.2001) |
01.07.2006 |
| Unofficial consolidated versions | Version of |
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Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF) of 9 May 1980 in the version of the Modification Protocol of 3 June 1999 |
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01.03.2019 (corrected on 07.03.2023) |
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Convention itself (Base Convention)
| Authentic Text | Entry into force |
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Base Convention adopted by the General Assembly at its 5th session from 26.05 to 03.06.1999 (AG 5/3.1)
– Correction of 31.03.2000 (A 56-01/506.2000)
– Correction of 29.06.2001 (A 56- 01/502.2001)) |
01.07.2006 |
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Modifications adopted by the Revision Committee at its 24th session from 23 to 25.06.2009 (A 55-24/508.2009 and CR 24/NOT/Add.1) |
01.12.2010 |
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Modifications adopted by the Revision Committee at its 25th session from 25 to 26.06.2014 (A 55-25/506.2014 and CR 25/NOT/Add.1) |
01.07.2015 |
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Modifications adopted by the General Assembly at its 12th session from 29 to 30.09.2015 (A 53-12/509.2015 and AG12/NOT/Add.1) |
Not yet |
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Modifications adopted by the General Assembly at its 13th session from 25 to 26.09.2018 (NOT-18001_LC and NOT-18001_LC-Ad.1) |
Not yet |
| Unofficial consolidated versions | Version of |
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Base Convention |
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Explanatory Report |
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Protocol on the Privileges and Immunities of the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF)
| Authentic Text | Entry into force |
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Protocol on the Privileges and Immunities of the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (AG 5/3.1) – Correction of 31.03.2000 (A 56-01/506.2000) Correction of 29.06.2001 (A 56- 01/502.2001) |
01.07.2006 |
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Explanatory report |
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Uniform Rules concerning the Contract of International Carriage of Passengers by Rail (CIV - Appendix A to the Convention)
| Authentic Text | Entry into force |
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Uniform Rules concerning the Contract of International Carriage of Passengers by Rail (CIV – Appendix A to the Convention) adopted by the General Assembly at its 5th session from 26 May to 3 June 1999 (AG 5/3.1) – Correction of 31.03.2000 (A 56-01/506.2000) – Correction of 29.06.2001 (A 56- 01/502.2001) |
01.07.2006 |
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Explanatory report |
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Uniform Rules concerning the Contract of International Carriage of Goods by Rail (CIM - Appendix B to the Convention)
| Authentic Text | Entry into force |
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Uniform Rules concerning the Contract of International Carriage of Goods by Rail (CIM – Appendix B to the Convention) adopted by the General Assembly at its 5th session from 26 May to 3 June 1999 (AG5-3.1) – Correction of 31.03.2000 (A 56-01/506.2000) – Correction of 29.06.2001 (A 56- 01/502.2001) |
01.07.2006 |
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Modifications adopted by the Revision Committee at its 24th session from 23 to 25.06.2009 (A 55-24/508.2009 and CR 24/NOT/Add.5) |
01.12.2010 |
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Modifications adopted by the Revision Committee at its 25th session by written procedure of 20.04.2015 (A 55-25/506.2015 and CR 25/NOT/CIM) |
01.05.2016 |
| Unofficial consolidated versions | Version of |
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Appendix B |
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Explanatory Report |
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Regulation concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail (RID – Appendix C to the Convention)
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Regulation concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail (RID – Appendix C to the Convention) adopted by the General Assembly at its 5th session from 26.05 to 03.06.1999 (AG5-3.1)
– Correction of 31.03.2000 (A 56-01/506.2000) Correction of 29.06.2001 (A 56- 01/502.2001) |
01.07.2006 |
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47th and 48th sessions of the Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (19-20.05.2010 and 16-20.11.2009), |
01.01.2011 |
| Unofficial consolidated versions | Version of |
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Appendix C |
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Explanatory Report |
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Uniform Rules concerning Contracts of Use of Vehicles in International Rail Traffic (CUV - Appendix D to the Convention)
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Uniform Rules concerning Contracts of Use of Vehicles in International Rail Traffic (CUV – Appendix D to the Convention) adopted by the General Assembly at its 5th session from 26.05 to 03.06.1999 (AG5-3.1)
– Correction of 31.03.2000 (A 56-01/506.2000) – Correction of 29.06.2001 (A 56- 01/502.2001) |
01.07.2006 |
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Modifications adopted by the Revision Committee at its 25th session from 25 to 26.06.2014 (A 55-25/506.2014 and CR 25/NOT/Add.2) |
01.07.2015
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Modifications adopted by the General Assembly at its 12th session from 29 to 30.09.2015 (A 53-12/509.2015 and AG12/NOT/Add.2) |
Not yet
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| Unofficial consolidated versions | Version of |
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Appendix D |
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Explanatory Report |
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Uniform Rules concerning the Contract of Use of Infrastructure in International Rail Traffic (CUI - Appendix E to the Convention)
| Authentic Text | Entry into force |
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Uniform Rules concerning the Contract of Use of Infrastructure in International Rail Traffic (CUI – Appendix E to the Convention) adopted by the General Assembly at its 5th session from 26.05 to 03.06.1999 (AG5-3.1) – Correction of 31.03.2000 (A 56-01/506.2000) – Correction of 29.06.2001 (A 56- 01/502.2001) |
01.07.2006
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Modifications adopted by the Revision Committee at its 24th session from 23 to 25.06.2009 (A 55-24/508.2009 and CR 24/NOT/Add.2) |
01.12.2010 |
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Modifications adopted by the Revision Committee at its 25th session from 25 to 26.06.2014 (A 55-25/506.2014 and CR 25/NOT/Add.3) |
01.07.2015
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Modifications adopted by the General Assembly at its 13th session from 25 to 26.09.2018) (NOT-18001_LC and NOT-18001_LC-Ad.3) |
Not Yet
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| Unofficial consolidated versions | Version of |
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Appendix E
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Explanatory Report
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Uniform Rules concerning the Validation of Technical Standards and the Adoption of Uniform Technical Prescriptions applicable to Railway Material intended to be used in International Traffic (APTU – Appendix F to the Convention)
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Uniform Rules concerning the Validation of Technical Standards and the Adoption of Uniform Technical Prescriptions applicable to Railway Material intended to be used in International Traffic (APTU – Appendix F to the Convention) adopted by the General Assembly at its 5th session from 26.05 to 03.06.1999 (AG5-3.1) – Correction of 31.03.2000 (A 56-01/506.2000) – Correction of 29.06.2001 (A 56- 01/502.2001) |
01.07.2006
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Modifications adopted by the Revision Committee at its 24th session from 23 to 25.06.2009 (A 55-24/508.2009 and CR 24/NOT/Add.3) |
01.12.2010
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Modifications adopted by the Revision Committee at its 25th session from 25 to 26.06.2014 (A 55-25/506.2014 and CR 25/NOT/Add.4) |
01.07.2015
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Modifications adopted by the Revision Committee at its 26th session from 27 to 28.02.2018 (SG-18020 and SG-18020-Ad1) – Correction of 07.05.2018 (SG-18055) – Correction of 21.06.2019 (with effect from 31.07.2019 (NOT-19007 and NOT-19016)) |
01.03.2019
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Modifications adopted by the General Assembly at its 12th session from 29 to 30.09.2015 (A 53-12/509.2015 and AG12/NOT/Add.3) |
Not yet
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| Unofficial consolidated versions | Version of |
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Appendix F
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01.03.2019 (corrected on 31.07.2019) |
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Explanatory Report
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Uniform Rules concerning the Technical Admission of Railway Material used in International Traffic (ATMF – Appendix G to the Convention)
| Authentic Text | Entry into force |
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Uniform Rules concerning the Technical Admission of Railway Material used in International Traffic (ATMF – Appendix G to the Convention) adopted by the General Assembly at its 5th session from 26 May to 3 June 1999 (AG5-3.1) – Correction of 31.03.2000 (A 56-01/506.2000) – Correction of 29.06.2001 (A 56- 01/502.2001) |
01.07.2006
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Modifications adopted by the Revision Committee at its 24th session from 23 to 25.06.2009 (A 55-24/508.2009 and CR24/NOT/Add.4) – Correction of 09.11.2010 (A 55-24/504.2010) |
01.12.2010
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Modifications adopted by the Revision Committee at its 25th session from 25 to 26.06.2014 (A 55-25/506.2014 and CR 25/NOT/Add.5) – Correction of 18.08.2015 (A 55-25/507.2015) |
01.07.2015
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Modifications adopted by the Revision Committee at its 26th session from 27 to 28.02.2018 (SG-18020 and SG-18020-Ad2) – Correction of 21.06.2019 (with effect from 31.07.2019) NOT-19007 and NOT-19016)) |
01.03.2019
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01.11.2023
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Modifications adopted by the General Assembly at its 12th session from 29 to 30.09.2015 (A 53-12/509.2015 and AG12/NOT/Add.4) |
Not yet
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Modifications adopted by the General Assembly at its 13th session from 25 to 26.09.2018 (NOT-18001_LC and NOT-18001_LC-Ad.4) |
Not yet
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| Unofficial consolidated versions | Version of |
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Appendix G
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01.03.2019 (corrected on 07.03.2023) |
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01.03.2019 (corrected on 31.07.2019) |
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Explanatory Report
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Uniform Rules concerning the Safe Operation of Trains in International Traffic (EST – Appendix H to the Convention)
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Uniform Rules concerning the Safe Operation of Trains in International Traffic (EST – Appendix H to the Convention) adopted by the General Assembly at its 13th session from 25 to 26.09.2018) (NOT-18001_LC and NOT-18001-Ad.2) |
Not Yet
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Depositary Information
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Guidelines
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Signatures, ratifications, acceptances, approvals, accessions and entry into force
Reservations and declarations
Non-approvals and objections to modifications to COTIF
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Other language versions
Dutch– Official translation: Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF) of 9 May 1980, as amended by the Modification Protocol of 3 June 1999 and the amendments to Articles 9 and 27 of the Convention and to Appendices B (CIM), E (CUI), F (APTU) and G (ATMF) adopted by the Revision Committee at its 24th session as well as to Appendix C (RID) adopted by the RID Expert Committee at its 47th and 48th
Russian– Working translation COTIF (version of the basic Convention applicable from 1.12.2010) with the Vilnius Protocol, the Protocol on the Privileges and Immunities of OTIF and CIM (Appendix B) – CIV (Appendix A), RID (Appendix C, version applicable from 1.1.2011), CUV (Appendix D), CUI (Appendix E, version applicable from 1.12.2010), APTU (Appendix F, version applicable from 1.12.2010), ATMF (Appendix G, version applicable from 1.12.2010).
Farsi– Translation prepared by the Railways of the Islamic Republic of Iran (2014); Protocol of 3 June 1999 for the Modification of the Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail of 9 May 1980
