2010 – 2019
On the agenda of the 11th session of the standing working group
13.11.2019
The 11th session of the RID Committee of Experts’ standing working group will be held in Vienna from 25 to 29 November 2019…
On the agenda of WG TECH 39: the priorities defined by the Committee of Technical Experts
8.11.2019
The WG TECH working group will hold its 39th session in Brussels on 19 and 20 November 2019. At the invitation of the European Commission’s Directorate-…
RID 2019 also available in Russian
28.10.2019
The 2019 edition of the Regulation concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail (RID) is now available on OTIF’s website in Russian. RID has already been published in the Organisation’s three working languages
Publicising and explaining developments in the regulations on the transport of dangerous goods
23.10.2019
On 7 November 2019, Mr Jochen Conrad, the head of OTIF’s dangerous goods department, will be the first speaker at the 17th Gefahrgut-Technik-Tage (dangerous goods symposium) that will take place in Berlin….
Symposium, celebrations and the Vilnius Protocol
15.10.2019
Under the patronage of the Ministry of Transport and Communications and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania, and with substantial support from Lithuanian Railways, the Secretary General has great pleasure in announcing the…
The working group on tank and vehicle technology and extra-large tank-containers
1.10.2019
The 17th session of the RID Committee of Experts’ working group on tank and vehicle technology will be held in Ludwigshafen in Germany from 14 to 16 October 2019…
2.9.2019
The RID/ADR/ADN Joint Meeting will hold its last session of the 2018/2019 biennium from 17 to 27 September 2019 in Geneva. Its main task will be to harmonise RID, ADR and ADN with the 21st revised edition of the UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods,…
Joint Coordinating Group of Experts: second meeting
26.8.2019
The Joint Coordinating Group of Experts (JCGE) will meet for the second time from 9 to 11 September 2019 in Berne. This ad hoc working group has a dual objective: • To ensure consistent development of the legislation…
The Luxembourg Rail Protocol: preparations prior to entry into force
16.7.2019
In connection with the latest developments on the Luxembourg Rail Protocol, the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT), the Rail Working Group, the Protocol’s Preparatory Commission..
Committee of Technical Experts – results of the 12th Session
25.6.2019
The Committee of Technical Experts (CTE) held its 12th session on 12 and 13 June 2019 in Berne. 29 OTIF Contracting States were represented. There were delegations representing the European Union…
20.6.2019
The 2019 edition of RID entered into force on 1 January 2019. As for every publication of a new edition of RID, users are allowed a six month transitional period during which the previous…
In support of harmonising rail transport law
7.6.2019
The Secretary General of OTIF, Mr Küpper, was invited to take part in the Ministers’ Conference of the Organisation for Cooperation between Railways (OSJD) on 6 June 2019 in Tashkent….
Committee of Technical Experts 2019
27.5.2019
The Committee of Technical Experts will hold its 12th session in Berne on 12 and 13 June 2019. In line with the provisional agenda, the Committee will give its view on adopting the amendments…
Afghanistan: 51st member of OTIF
1.5.2019
On 1 May 2019, Afghanistan becomes the 51st member of the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF). The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan deposited…
Election of Mr Wolfgang Küpper as Secretary General of OTIF
28.2.2019
The General Assembly of the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF) elected Mr Wolfgang Küpper from Germany as the new Secretary General of the Organisation…
Signing a memorandum of understanding with UNESCAP
10.1.2019
In December 2018, the Executive Secretary of UNESCAP, Mrs Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, and the Secretary General of OTIF signed a memorandum of understanding against the background…
First conference of international railway transport law in China
12.11.2018
On 26 and 27 October, the Secretary General of OTIF and the head of the legal department, together with representatives of OSJD, the European Commission, UNECE, UNESCAP and CIT…
New edition of RID applicable from 1 January 2019
8.11.2018
The new provisions of the Regulation concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail (RID) will enter into force on 1 January 2019. The 2019 edition replaces the 2017 edition.
9.10.2018
On 25 and 26 September 2019, OTIF held its 13th General Assembly. This meeting of the Organisation’s supreme body also marked the 125th anniversary of COTIF.
OTIF’s General Assembly: the main items on the agenda
19.07.2018
On 25 and 26 September 2018, the Member States of OTIF will meet in Berne for the General Assembly. In addition to the 50 Member States and the European Union, the Secretariat of OTIF has invited all the international rail sector associations and organisations to attend as observers…
Committee of Technical Experts, results
27.06.2018
The Committee of Technical Experts (CTE) held its eleventh session on 12 and 13 June 2018 in Bern. 30 OTIF Contracting States, the European Union, OSJD, GCC, CER, NB Rail and UNIFE were represented. The OTIF Secretariat presented the status update of national technical requirements…
OTIF – A Partner in UIC’s Global Rail Freight Conference (GRFC) 2018
18.06.2018
The 6th edition of UIC’s Global Rail Freight Conference will be held in Genoa, Italy, from 26 to 28 June. The Conference is organised by the International Union of Railways in close cooperation with Italian Railways (FS Italiane) and under the patronage of the Regione Liguria. The Secretariat of OTIF is pleased to announce this event, in which it is a partner….
06.06.2018
The 55th session of the Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (RID Committee of Experts) was held in Berne on 30 May 2018. The 55th session of the RID Committee of Experts approved amendments to RID prepared by its working group in 2016, 2017 and 2018 for a date…
Committee of Technical Experts 2018
28.05.2018
The Committee of Technical Experts will hold its 11th session in Berne on 12 and 13 June 2018. According to the provisional agenda the Secretariat will present information on National Vehicle Registers and the European Union will present…
2018 Summit on “Transport Safety and Security“
14.05.2018
This year, the annual International Transport Forum summit will focus on security and safety. The Secretariat of OTIF is very pleased to be taking part in this event, which will be held from 23 to 25 May 2018 in Leipzig, Germany…
OTIF – A partner organisation in the 10th UIC World Congress on High Speed Rail
07.05.2018
Under the high patronage of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey and with the support of the Minister of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communication of the Republic of Turkey, the International Union of Railways (UIC), together with Turkish State Railways (TCDD), is co-organising…
29.03.2018
The EUMedRail Action Plan in Lebanon for 2018-2020, the support for decision makers to revitalise the Tripoli-Beirut railway line and the reform of the RPTA (Railway and Public Transport Authority) were some of the topics raised at a meeting between ERA (EU Agency for Railways), OTIF…
Amendments to APTU and ATMF adopted
23.03.2018
On 27 – 28 February 2018 at its 26th session, the Revision Committee adopted amendments to Appendices F (APTU) and G (ATMF) to the Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF). As all Member States of the European Union (EU) with a railway network are also Member States of OTIF, in order to achieve seamless international…
Middle East Rail 2018 and cooperation with the GCC
21.03.2018
The Secretary General of OTIF, Mr Davenne, was invited to speak at “Middle East Rail 2018”, a major event organised in Dubai by Terrapinn, in partnership with the Government of the United Arab Emirates. On 13 March 2018, he gave a presentation on the Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF),…
Revision Committee: the main points
08.03.2018
OTIF’s Revision Committee has endorsed the development of railway contract law, OTIF’s institutional law and rules on technical interoperability. The 26th Revision Committee was held in Berne on 27 and 28 February under the first-rate chairmanship of Ms Clio Liégeois, the representative of Belgium….
Inland Transport Committee: intermodality a key consideration
27.02.2018
The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) held the 80th session of its Inland Transport Committee in Geneva from 20 to 23 February 2018. The first day was taken up by a general policy debate on the role of intermodality as one of the keys to sustainable transport, particularly at the international level….
International Dangerous Goods Days (Internationale Gefahrgut-Tage)
19.02.2018
The 34th International Dangerous Goods Days – Storck Symposium will take place in Hamburg on 26 and 27 February 2018. For more than 30 years, this event has been a meeting place for the main actors in the development and implementation of dangerous goods law. As usual, the Secretariat of OTIF will take part in this event…
EUMedRail: Belgrade hosts workshop on railway legislation
09.02.2018
International railway legislation, cross border rail traffic, railway safety and further cooperation were the main topics of a high-level meeting that took place on 6 and 7 February in Belgrade, Serbia. This two-day event was organised by the EuroMed Transport Rail Project (EUMedRail) in close cooperation with
EUMedRail/OTIF: a promising synergy
29.01.2018
The European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) and the Secretariat of OTIF have decided to synergise the workshopsborganised under the EUMedRail project, set up by the European Commission, with OTIF’s activities, so that participants can take part in both events.
Memorandum of understanding with the Universal Postal Union
24.01.2018
On Wednesday, 24 January in Berne, the Director General of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), Mr Bishar Abdirahman Hussein, and the Secretary General of OTIF, Mr François Davenne, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU)
19.12.2017
On 8 December 2017, the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF) signed an agreement with the Council of Europe to extend the competence of the Administrative Tribunal of the Council of Europe to the examination….
Memorandum of Understanding between OTIF and UIC
7.12.2017
MoU signed between International Union of Railways (UIC) and Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF) with a view to deepening cooperation
27.11.2017
The Secretary General of OTIF will take part in the “Belt and Road” forum in Tbilisi, Georgia, on 28 and 29 November 2017. This second forum continues the task of the inaugural “Silk Road” forum also held in Tbilisi in 2015….
“Guidelines on treaty acts under COTIF”
20.11.2017
On 20 November 2017, the Secretariat of OTIF publishes a document on OTIF’s website entitled “Guidelines on treaty acts under COTIF”. This document is accompanied by model instruments intended to simplify the formalities for the entry into force of amendments to the Convention…
Eurasian railway corridors: what is the future for freight?
11.10.2017
Mr Schwilling presented the study to the public in Paris on Friday, 29 September at the headquarters of UIC and live on YouTube and UIC’s website. The Secretary General of OTIF, Mr Davenne, assisted and participated in this presentation…
Working session with the members of UNESCAP
02.10.2017
The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) invited OTIF’s Secretary General, Mr Davenne, and the head of the legal department, Mr Kuzmenko, to contribute to….
Withdrawal of the United Kingdom’s reservations
28.07.2017
The United Kingdom has withdrawn its reservation against application of the Uniform Rules concerning the Contract of Use of Infrastructure in International Traffic (CUI UR – Appendix E to COTIF).
Memorandum of understanding with World Customs Organisation
11.07.2017
On Monday, 10 July, the Secretary General of the World Customs Organisation (WCO), Mr Kunio Mikuriya, and the Secretary General of OTIF, Mr François Davenne, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU).
27.06.2017
The 2017 edition of the Regulations concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail (RID) entered into force on 1 January 2017. From 1 July 2017, only the 2017 edition of RID may be applied.
Tenth anniversary of the CTE: towards interoperability beyond the EU
21.06.2017
On Tuesday 13 June and Wednesday 14 June 2017, the Committee of Technical Experts (CTE) met for its 10th anniversary session in Bern. The CTE discussed and endorsed the development of a draft new Appendix H to COTIF which would regulate the safe operation of trains in international traffic. This new Appendix will be the foundation stone of the concept of interoperability..
10th Session of the Committee of Technical Experts
31.05.2017
On 13 and 14 June 2017, the Committee of Technical Experts (CTE) will meet in Berne for its 10th anniversary. It will deal with issues that are of importance to the development of international railway law and technical interoperability.
Governance, transport and good practice
29.05.2017
The Secretary General of OTIF will participate in the International Transport Forum (ITF) to be held in Leipzig from 31 May to 2 June 2017 under the chairmanship of Mexico.
OTIF and the GCC “Expert Working Group”
09.05.2017
At the invitation of the General Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the Secretary General of OTIF and the heads of the legal and technical interoperability departments will take part in the “Expert Working Group” to be held in Abu Dhabi on 16, 17 and 18 May 2017.
Approvals of amendments to COTIF
28.03.2017
On 13 March 2017, Sweden deposited its instrument of approval of the amendments to COTIF, signed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Margot Wallström.
17.03.2017
The “1st World Conference on Smart Destinations” organised by the World Tourism Organization was held from 15 to 17 February 2017 in Murcia, Spain.
27.02.2017
In its capacity as an observer, the Secretariat of OTIF takes part in the UNECE Working Party on Customs Questions affecting Transport (WP.30)…
20.02.2017
The RID/ATMF working group met for the last time in Brussels on 8 and 9 February 2017. The working group was made up of experts in the field of dangerous goods and technical interoperability.
New edition of RID applicable from 1 January 2017
09.01.2017
The new provisions of the Regulations concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail (RID) entered into force on 1 January 2017.
Interface approach for international parcel delivery by train
05.01.2017
On Monday, 12 December 2016, Mr François Davenne, the Secretary General of OTIF, took part in the meeting of experts to assess the first “Postal Pilot Transportation” between Chongqing (China) and Duisburg (Germany).