Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF)

OTIF was set up in 1980 by the Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF). It aims to establish uniform laws for carriage of passengers and goods (including dangerous cargo) by rail between member states, and to facilitate their application and development. The uniform system of law provided for in COTIF may also be applied to international through traffic using, in addition to rail services, land and sea services and inland waterways.

COTIF emerged from the 8th Revision Conference on the CIM and CIV Conventions and came into force in 1985. Minor amendments adopted in 1990 (1990 Protocol) came into force in 1996. Fundamental modifications to the convention were adopted in 1999 (1999 Protocol); this Protocol, also called the Vilnius Protocol, came into force in 2006. Additional aims provided for in the 1999 Protocol include: establishing systems of uniform law in contract of use of wagons in international traffic, contract of use of infrastructure in international traffic, and carriage of dangerous goods; contributing to removal of obstacles to border crossing within the responsibility of states; contributing to interoperability and technical harmonisation, and establishing a uniform procedure for technical approval of equipment. Minor amendments adopted in 2009 came into force in 2010.

The 50 member states are: Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan (as 1 September 2013), Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.

The European Union is a regional economic integration organisation member since 1 July 2011. Jordan is an associate Member state.

Address

Gryphenhübeliweg 30
3006 Bern
Switzerland

Phone

+41 31 359 1010

Fax

+41 31 359 1011

Email

info@otif.org

Website

otif.org