1. CIT GTC EurAsia: Point 3 of the UNECE Ministerial Declaration
SC.2 Meeting, 23 November 2015, Geneva
Dr Erik Evtimov
Deputy Secretary General CIT

2. Opportunities & challenges for railway companies today:
Eurasian Freight Corridors - An existing market with potential
Freight traffic China-Europe
~ 90% Sea/40 days
< 10% Air/1 day
~ 1% Railway/ ~15 days
~ 30 freight trains per week 2

3. Potential for parcels transportation between China and Europe by rail

4. Scope of application of CIM and SMGS
Etat au 1er novembre 2015
Stand 1. November 2015
Situation on 1 November 2015
SMGS
CIM
CIM + SMGS
Membership
suspended
Associate
Member

5. Unified Rail Transport Law
Solutions to increase railway competitiveness:
UNECE Joint Declaration
Joint Declaration on the promotion of Euro-Asian Rail Transport and activities towards Unified Railway Law (26 February 2013, Geneva): Important step towards a solution to unify different legal regimes
State of play: Draft of relevant legal provisions is being discussed within the UNECE Groups of Experts towards Unified Railway Law (last meeting took place on 14–16 October 2015).
CIT supports efforts at the governmental level and encourages legislation that is suitable from the viewpoint of the carriers to promote competitiveness of the Eurasian railway transportation.
SMGS
COTIF/CIM
Unified Rail Transport Law

6. Solutions to increase railway competitiveness:
GTC Eurasia as instrument on contractual level
General Terms and Conditions for EurAsia Rail Transport Contracts of the CIT
(GTC EurAsia)
Point 3 - of the UNECE Political Declaration
Framework contract - for participating railways (on different corridors)
Applicable law - mandatory provisions of the national law shall apply
Precondition – opting-in through the participating railways (for example DB, PKP Cargo, BC, RZD and CCTT or GETO)
Legal basis - international private law (IPR)

7. Electronic CIM/SMGS Consignment Note
Functional specifications: updated based on the revision of SMGS (1 January 2016) Legal specifications: to be analyzed an updated in 2016 Current work: Ad hoc technical WG on e-consignment note CIM/SMGS (CIT, OSJD, RAILDATA and experts from CIM & SMGS RUs) Tasks: - revision of the technical specifications; - work towards development of the XML/EDIFACT converter; - the role of electronic signature in SMGS area.

8. Practical use of the CIM/SMGS Consignment note:
Actions
Inclusion of the three re-consignment points from China into GLV-CIM/SMGS: Alshankou – Dostyk (China and Kazakhstan); Erljan – Zaminuud (China and Mongolia); Manzuli – Zabaikalsk (China and Russia);
Pilot project with UPU on transport of postal parcels by rail:
Use of CIT uniform consignment note CIM/SMGS;
Utilization of the GTC EurAsia;
Framing the boilerplate contract or a checklist for transport of postal items by rail in CIM/SMGS traffic;
CIT Workshop on Postal Consignments by Rail, 17 March 2016
Practical implementation of the GTC EurAsia in collaboration with the CCTT
Coordinated revision of the specimen of the CIM/SMGS, CIM and SMGS consignment notes in
CIT’s engagement in the work of the UNECE Group of Experts towards Unified Railway Law 8 8

9. Success story for the railways
Good Quality of infrastructure
Technical interoperability (vehicle authorisation and safety certification)
Level playing field with other transport modes
Competitive and transparent charges for use of infrastructure
Less administrative burdens: New regulatory requirements when customers benefit
Stable and fair legal framework

10. Conclusions Electronic CIM/SMGS consignment note
General Terms and Conditions EurAsia
Best case: transportation of postal items by rail
Unified Rail Transport Law
Savings in time and costs
Simplification of customs formalities
Greater legal certainty
Larger share of the market

11. Erik Evtimov
Deputy Secretary General, CIT
Tel: