UNITED NATIONS

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UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR
EUROPE (UNECE)
SIAFInternational Interactive Session on
International Railway Activities Railway
Cooperation The role of UNECE Martin M.
Magold Sustainable Transport Section Transport
Division
International Union of Railways (UIC) 26 April
2010
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UNECE Role and functions5 UN Regional
Commissions
ECE
ESCWA
ESCAP
ECA
ECLAC
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UNECE Role and functionsFeatures

• Regional arm of the United Nations
• Inter-governmental organization
• Cooperation with NGOs and private sector
• Areas of work
• Trade facilitation and statistics
• Regional cooperation and integration
• Energy
• Environment
• Transport (road, rail, inland water)

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UNECE Role and functionsGovernmental Structure
Inland Transport Committee
Working Party on Intermodal Transport and
Logistics (WP.24)
Working Party on Rail Transport (SC.2)
EC, OTIF, OSJD, UIC,CIT, ERA
EC, OTIF, UIC, CIT, UIRR, EIA, BIC, IRU, IMMTA
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UNECE Role and functionsHow do we work ?

• Work procedures
• Multilateral treaties
• (conventions, agreements, protocols, etc.)
• Resolutions, recommendations and model actions
• (soft law, guidelines, etc.)
• Exchange of best practices and peer reviews
• (Governments, industry, civil society)
• Technical cooperation and capacity building
• (Projects, seminars, workshops, etc.)

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UNECE Role and functionsExamples of activities
European E-Roads
Customs transit system
Transport of dangerous goods
CMR Convention
Green Card
Motor Vehicle Insurance System International
Driving Licence Vienna Convention
Vienna Convention
E2
World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle
Regulations (WP.29)
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International Rail CooperationMultilateral
treaties

• Transport of dangerous goods (RID)
• Pan-European rail infrastructure network (AGC)
• Pan-European combined transport services (AGTC)
• Harmonization of border controls
  (interoperability)
• Unification of international rail transport law
  (under preparation)

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International Rail CooperationTransport of
dangerous goods
ECOSOC Committee of Experts TDG and GHS
UNECE secretariat
TDG Sub-Committee
GHS Sub-Committee
IAEA Radioactive
UN Model Regulations
GHS
Air ICAO
Sea IMDG IMO
Inland transport UNECE
ADR
RID
ADN
COTIF Appendix C
European Union Directive 2008/68/EC
National legislation
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International Rail CooperationTransport of
dangerous goods
Road ADR (46 States) In force since 1968

• Rail RID (43 States)
• In force since 2009
• In cooperation with OCTI

Waterways ADN (12 States) In force since 2008
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International Rail Cooperation Rail and combined
transport networks (AGCAGTC)
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International Rail Cooperation Rail and combined
transport networks (AGCAGTC)

• AGC/AGTC Minimum Standards and Target Values

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International Rail Cooperation Combined
transport network (AGTC)

• AGTC Minimum Standards and Target Values

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International Rail Cooperation Monitoring of
AGCAGTC standards
Railway Line C-E 20 Dover (UK) Vostochnaya
(RF) AGTC standard Authorized length of train
min. 750 m
750 m
Example
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International Rail Cooperation Review of
combined transport developments
Consignments 2 TEU
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International Rail CooperationHarmonization of
border controls (interoperability)

• International Convention on the Harmonization of
  Frontier Controls of Goods (1982)
• Inter-governmental framework for border controls
• National coordination and cooperation
• International coordination and cooperation
• All border control agencies
• All modes of land transport (road, rail, IWT)
• 54 Contracting States, incl. EU

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International Rail CooperationHarmonization of
border controls (interoperability)

• International Convention on the Harmonization of
  Frontier Controls of Goods (1982)
• 8 Annexes in force
• Customs controls,
• medico-sanitary, veterinary phytosanitary
  inspections,
• control of compliance of quality and technical
  standards for cargo
• transit arrangements
• Road transport (visa, technical inspection, etc.)
  (since 2008)
• 1 Annex on rail transport (under consideration)
• Adoption in 2010 ? - Entry into force in 2011 ?

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International Rail CooperationHarmonization of
border controls (interoperability)

• International Convention on the Harmonization of
  Frontier Controls of Goods (1982)
• Draft Annex on rail transport
• Visa procedures (train crews, border personnel,
  etc.)
• Border and control infrastructure and facilities
• Cooperation of inspection personnel
• Coordinated inspection mechanisms
• Acceptable time limits and delays
• Documentation (incl. CIM/SMGS consignment note)

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International Rail CooperationHarmonization of
border controls (interoperability)
Bulgaria-Serbia Rail Border Agreement (2006)
(Dimitrovgrad-Dragoman) Border delay (minutes)
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International Rail CooperationUniform rail
transport law
SMGS/SMPS
Eurasian uniform Rail Transport Law
COTIF
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International Rail Cooperation Uniform rail
transport law
Differences in international rail transport law

• CIM
• Consensual contract
• Contractual freedom
• Consignment note in the competence of RUs
• Joint several liability

• SMGS
• Formal contract
• Obligation to establish tariffs and to carry
• Consignment note regulated in SMGS
• Singular liability

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International Rail Cooperation Uniform rail
transport law
Differences in institutional arrangements

• OTIF
• Intergovernmental Organization for International
  Carriage
• of Rail
• Bern
• Since 1890
• 42 member States
• only States
• Decisions Majority
• German/French/English

• OSJD
• Organization for Co-operation between Railways
• Warsaw
• Since 1956
• 27 member States
• States and railways
• Decisions Unanimity
• Russian and Chinese

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International Rail CooperationUniform rail
transport law

• 2005 UNECE Working Party on Intermodal
  Transport and Logistics (WP.24)
• Strategic elements for efficient East-West rail
  transport
• 2006 UNECE Inland Transport Committee (ITC)
• Remove obstacles for pan-European rail
  interoperability
• Establish level playing field on East-West rail
  corridors
• Initiate discussions/negotiations towards unfied
  rail law
• Support CIT/OSJD on CIM/SMGS consignment note as
  short term measure
• 2010 UNECE Expert Group on Unified Railway Law
• 1. session Geneva, 26 March 2010
• Harmonized operational rules (infrastructure
  access, cross-acceptance)
• Harmonized civil liability rules
  (railways-shippers-freight forwarders)
• 2. session St. Petersburg, 8 July 2010
• Concept note by 2011

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International Rail CooperationUniform rail
transport law
UNECE supports CIT and OSJD on use of CIM/SMGS
consignment note as short-term measure

• Land bridge between Europe and Asia
  (Mongolia-China-Pakistan)
• Rail link Istanbul-Tehran-Almaty
• Transit via Mongolia
• Rail corridors to Central Asia (Kazakhstan-Turkmen
  istan-Uzbekistan)
• Trans-Siberian railway line
• North-South rail corridors via Russian Federation

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International Rail Cooperation Technical
cooperation
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International Rail CooperationTechnical
cooperation

• Objectives of TER
• Coherent and efficient rail and combined
  transport system in TER region
• Improved efficiency and quality of rail services
• Improved environmental foot-print
• Outputs
• TER Master Plan
• identification of backbone network
• investment priorities
• inventory of border-crossing problems
• Recommendations
• Capacity building activities

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International Rail CooperationCapacity building

• Peer Reviews
• Government to Government
• Objective
• Improve policy making
• Review administrative procedures
• Adopt best practices
• Establish high policy standards
• Support compliance measures
• UNECE acts as facilitator

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United Nations Economic Commission for
EuropeObjectives and mission

• UNECE objectives
• Inland transport (road, rail, inland water
  transport)
• Facilitate international movement of persons and
  goods
• Improve safety, environmental protection, energy
  efficiency and security
• Contribute to sustainable development
• UNECE mission
• Bridge between EU and other Europe, Central
  Asia Caucasus
• Link-up with other regions as part of UN
  (Regional Commissions)
• Set up harmonied global and/or pan-European
  framework conditions and standards for
  Governments and industry
• Provide platform for exchange of policies and
  best practices
• Assist in capacity building for transition
  economies
• Ensure level playing field among land transport
  modes

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United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
(UNECE)
Palais des Nations, Geneva (Switzerland)