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Saatja: OTIF Legal Department <[email protected]> Saadetud: 09.08.2022 17:42 Adressaat: OTIF Legal Department <[email protected]> Koopia: Küpper Wolfgang <[email protected]>; Kuzmenko Aleksandr <[email protected]>; Gries Iris Petra <[email protected]>; Hiarlouski Vitali <[email protected]> Teema: Ad hoc Committee (JUR), LAW-22070-JUR 3, Invitation, provisional agenda and annotated provisional agenda Mesdames, Messieurs, Veuillez trouver en annexe la lettre circulaire : Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren, Beiliegend erhalten Sie das Rundschreiben: Dear Madam, dear Sir, Please find enclosed the circular: LAW-22070-JUR 3 09.08.2022AUX ÉTATS MEMBRES ET MEMBRES ASSOCIÉS DE LOTIF ET AUX ORGANISATIONS RÉGIONALES AYANT ADHÉRÉ À LA COTIF 3e session de la Commission ad hoc sur les questions juridiques et la coopération internationale Londres (réunion hybride), 4-6 octobre 2022 Convocation, ordre du jour provisoire et ordre du jour provisoire annoté AN DIE MITGLIEDSTAATEN UND ASSOZIIERTEN MITGLIEDER DER OTIF UND AN REGIONALE ORGANISATIONEN, DIE DEM COTIF BEIGETRETEN SIND 3. Tagung des Ad-hoc-Ausschusses für Rechtsfragen und internationale Zusammenarbeit London (hybrid), 4.6. Oktober 2022 Einladung, vorläufige Tagesordnung und erläuterte vorläufige Tagesordnung TO THE MEMBER STATES AND ASSOCIATE MEMBERS OF OTIF AND TO REGIONAL ORGANISATIONS WHICH HAVE ACCEDED TO COTIF 3rd Session of the ad hoc Committee on Legal Affairs and International Cooperation London (hybrid meeting), 4-6 October 2022 Invitation, provisional agenda and annotated provisional agenda Avec nos salutations distinguées Mit freundlichen Grüβen Yours faithfully Le département juridique du Secrétariat de lOTIF Das Sekretariat der OTIF Rechtsabteilung OTIF Secretariat - Legal Department Organisation intergouvernementale pour les transports internationaux ferroviairesZwischenstaatliche Organisation für den internationalen EisenbahnverkehrIntergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail Gryphenhübeliweg 30 CH-3006 Bern/Berne This e-mail and any attachments may contain privileged or confidential information and is intended exclusively for the use of the addressee. If you receive this e-mail in error, please contact the sender and promptly delete the material from your computer. FICHE DE DÉSIGNATION D’UN POINT DE CONTACT POUR LA COMMISSION AD HOC SUR LES QUESTIONS JURIDIQUES ET LA COOPÉRATION INTERNATIONALE FORMULAR ZUR BENENNUNG EINER ANLAUFSTELLE FÜR D EN AD-HOC-AUSSCHUSSES FÜR RECHTSFRAGEN UN D INTERNATIONALE ZUSAMMENARBEIT FORM FOR NOMINATION OF A FOCAL POINT FOR THE AD HOC COMMITTEE ON LEGAL AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION À retourner dûment remplie au plus tard le 12 octobre 2021 Vollständig ausgefüllt zurücksenden spätestens bis zum 12 . Oktober 2021 Please fill in and return by no later than 12 October 2021 Par/per/by Fax: + 41 31 359 10 11 Par/per/by E-mail: [email protected] État membre Mitgliedstaat ☐ Member State Organisation régionale d’intégration économique ayant adhéré à la COTIF Dem COTIF beigetretene regionale Organisation für wirtschaftliche Integration ☐ Regional economic organisation that has acceded to COTIF Lequel / laquelle : Welcher / Welche: Name of organisation: Mme/Fr./Mrs. ☐ M./Hr./Mr. ☐ Nom / Name / Surname Prénom / Vorname / First Name Fonction officielle Dienstliche Stellung Official position Adresse professionnelle Dienstadresse Official Address Tél./Tel. Fax E-mail / E-Mail Site Internet / Webseite / Website Dans quelle langue préférez-vous recevoir les documents? In welcher Sprache möchten Sie die Dokumente erhalten? Document language preference? FR ☐ DE ☐ EN ☐ Veuillez indiquer si : Bitte geben Sie an, ob Please indicate, whether la désignation ci-dessus remplace une précédente désignation die obige Benennung eine frühere Benennung ersetzt ☐ The above nomination replaces a previous nomination la désignation ci-dessus est la première de votre pays die obige Benennung die erste Benennung Ihres Landes ist ☐ The above nomination is the first nomination for your country la désignation ci-dessus s’ajoute à une précédente désignation die obige Benenunung zusätzlich zu früheren Benennungen erfolgt ☐ The above nomination is additional to the previous nomination of a focal point COMMUNICATION SOUMISE PAR / DIESE MITTEILUNG ERFOLGTE DURCH / THIS NOTIFICATION HAS BEEN SUBMITTED: Mme/Fr./Mrs. ☐ M./Hr./Mr. ☐ Nom / Name / Surname Prénom / Vorname / First Name Institution/département Einrichtung/Abteilung Institution/Department Fonction officielle Dienstliche Stellung Official position Adresse professionnelle Dienstadresse Official Address Tél./Tel. Fax E-mail / E-Mail Site Internet / Webseite / Website Date et signature Datum und Unterschrift Date and signature Secrétaire général Generalsekretär Secretary General LAW-22070-JUR 3 09.08.2022 Original: EN TO THE MEMBER STATES AND ASSOCIATE MEMBERS OF OTIF AND TO REGIONAL ORGANISATIONS WHICH HAVE ACCEDED TO COTIF 3rd session of the ad hoc Committee on Legal Affairs and International Cooperation London (hybrid meeting), 4-6 October 2022 Invitation, provisional agenda and annotated provisional agenda  2 In accordance with Article 8 of the Rules of Procedure of the ad hoc Committee on Legal Affairs and International Cooperation and based on the ‘Decisions’ of the 2nd session (OTIF-22001-JUR 2, 7 April 2022), you are invited to the 3rd session of the ad hoc Committee on Legal Affairs and International Cooperation on 4-6 October 2022. The session is being organised as a hybrid meeting. Delegates who cannot be physically present may participate remotely using the Zoom videoconferencing tool. Registered participants will receive the link to connect to the platform no later than one week before the meeting. Venue The session will take place at the QEII Centre Broad Sanctuary Westminster London SW1P 3EE United Kingdom. Entering the United Kingdom Please consult the website of the UK Government with regard to the conditions for entering the UK. Delegates who require a visa should allow sufficient time to arrange this. If you require help to obtain a visa then please contact the Secretariat ([email protected]) as soon as possible. Rules of Procedure The applicable Rules of Procedure of the ad hoc Committee on Legal Affairs and International Cooperation are those adopted by the ad hoc Committee at its 1st session on 9 November 2021. Timetable The meeting will begin at 09.00 local time on Tuesday, 4 October, and will end at 17:00 local time at the latest on Thursday, 6 October. The indicative detailed timetable is as follows: 4-6 October 2022, local time 09:00 – 09:30 Registration/Connection 09:30 – 11:00 Discussions 11:00 – 11:15 Coffee break 11:15 – 12:30 Discussions 12:30 – 14:00 Lunch break 14:00 – 15:30 Discussions 15:30 – 15:45 Coffee break 15:45 – 17:00 Discussions Languages The working languages will be German, English and French, with simultaneous interpretation.  3 Provisional agenda and working documents The provisional agenda and annotated provisional agenda for the 3rd session are attached to this circular. They are also available on OTIF’s website on the extranet (http://extranet.otif.org/en/) of the ad hoc Committee on Legal Affairs and International Cooperation. All the working documents will be made available on OTIF’s website by 6 September 2022 at the latest on the extranet (http://extranet.otif.org/en/) of the ad hoc Committee on Legal Affairs and International Cooperation. Access to the extranet is restricted to the focal points of the ad hoc Committee. Registered participants of the Member States that have not yet nominated a focal point will receive the documents by email. Composition and focal points The ad hoc Committee on Legal Affairs and International Cooperation is made up of representatives from all the Member States and regional economic integration organisations which have acceded to COTIF. In order to ensure that the ad hoc Committee on Legal Affairs and International Cooperation functions properly, the Member States of OTIF and the regional economic integration organisations that have acceded to COTIF should designate one or more representatives as focal points and inform the Secretariat accordingly. Member States that have not yet designated a focal point are kindly requested to do so by filling in the attached form and submitting it to the Legal Department ([email protected]). Observers Article 6 § 2 (‘Observers’) of the Rules of Procedure provides that ‘[t]he representatives of non-Member States, international organisations and associations invited by the Secretary General with the agreement of a majority of the Member States may attend sessions of the ad hoc Committee in an advisory capacity.’ The Secretariat has recently implemented the decision of the ad hoc Committee to apply the ‘Recommendation on involving stakeholders in OTIF’s work’ (OTIF-22002-JUR 2) in order to engage with stakeholders within the scope of its activities. However, in order to ensure a smooth transition from the previous rules and practice on the invitation of observers to the new rules, and taking into account that the Secretariat has not received any objections to the suggested list of international organisations and associations in circular letter LAW-22049-JUR 3 ‘Save the date: 4-6 October 2022 (London)’, the following international organisations and associations will be invited to take part in the discussions on 5 October (full day) and 6 October (morning) dealing with the agenda items that are open to the participation of observers: − Organisation for Cooperation between Railways (OSJD) − United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) − United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) − United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) − World Customs Organization (WCO) − Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER) − European Rail Freight Association (ERFA) − Forum Train Europe (FTE) − International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) − International Rail Transport Committee (CIT) − International Union of Railways (UIC)  4 − International Union of Wagon Keepers (UIP) − RailNetEurope (RNE) Registration In order to organise the meeting effectively, the Member States and regional economic integration organisations which have acceded to COTIF are invited to register for the 3rd session of the ad hoc Committee on Legal Affairs and International Cooperation on OTIF’s website (www.otif.org) under: Events > Registration form before the deadline of 9 September 2022. Yours faithfully, (Wolfgang Küpper) Secretary General Annexes: - LAW-22069-JUR 3/1 ‘Provisional agenda and annotated provisional agenda’ - Form for designating a focal point for the ad hoc Committee on Legal Affairs and International Cooperation  Commission ad hoc sur les questions juridiques et la coopération internationale Ad-hoc-Ausschuss für Rechtsfragen und internationale Zusammenarbeit Ad hoc Committee on Legal Affairs and International Cooperation LAW-22069-JUR 3/1 09.08.2022 Original: EN 3RD SESSION Provisional agenda and annotated provisional agenda  2 Provisional agenda Opening of the session 1. Adoption of the agenda 2. Development of a long-term strategy for OTIF 3. Enhancing stakeholder involvement within OTIF 4. Adoption, authentication, certified copies and publication of COTIF 5. Suspension and termination of COTIF and/or membership of OTIF with regard to a particular Member State 6. Information from the Secretariat 7. Information from members of the ad hoc Committee 8. Information from the registered stakeholders and intergovernmental organisations 9. The digitalisation of international transport, particularly freight transport documents 10. Bill of lading 11. Work Programme 12. Planning and organisation of the next sessions 13. Any other business  3 Provisional annotated agenda The provisional agenda includes items from three areas of activity of the ad hoc Committee: legal affairs, international cooperation and the long-term strategy for OTIF. Opening of the session The Chair will open the session of the ad hoc Committee on Legal Affairs and International Cooperation. 1. Adoption of the agenda The agenda prepared by the Secretariat, completed and adapted if necessary, depending on proposals received from the Member States and the regional organisation, will be submitted for approval. Participation of observers: no. 2. Development of a long-term strategy for OTIF In accordance with its 2022-2024 Work Programme (LAW-22037-JUR 2, updated at the 2nd session, 7 April 2022), the ad hoc Committee should ‘[a]ssist the Secretary General in the preparation of a long- term strategy based on the decision of the General Assembly at its 15th session’. This topic was given a high priority in the Work Programme. At its 15th session the General Assembly: ‘instructed the Secretary General to prepare, as a basis for further discussion, a revised draft proposal for a long-term strategy, which should be based on the draft sent with circular letter SG-21001 and updated in accordance with the Secretary General’s reaction to the feedback received in the consultation (part D of document SG-21017-AG 15/7) and with the results of the discussions at the 15th General Assembly; instructed the Secretary General, in consultation with the organs of OTIF, in particular the ad hoc Committee on Legal Affairs and International Cooperation, to prepare a long-term strategy for OTIF and submit it for adoption to the next ordinary session of the General Assembly which is scheduled for autumn 2024 […].’1 At its 2nd session, the ad hoc Committee adopted the action plan for the development of OTIF's long- term strategy. In accordance with the action plan, the ad hoc Committee should consider the following step at its 3rd session: ‘1) Background analysis/stocktaking and target setting Objective: creation by the Secretariat of a well-founded fact base as a basis for further work. Where does OTIF stand 20 years after Vilnius and where should OTIF be in 2050?’ 2 Participation of observers: no. 3. Enhancing stakeholder involvement within OTIF In accordance with its 2022-2024 Work Programme (LAW-22037-JUR 2, updated at the 2nd session, 7 April 2022), the ad hoc Committee should ‘[d]evelop an inclusive and transparent stakeholder involvement policy in order to promote COTIF, develop railway law and monitor and assess existing legal instruments’. This topic was given a high priority in the Work Programme. 1 See point 7.4 of OTIF-21001-AG 15 ‘Final Document’ 2 See point 2 of OTIF-22001-JUR 2 ‘Décisions 07.04.2022/Beschlüsse 07.04.2022/Decisions 07.04.2022’  4 At its 2nd session, the ad hoc Committee adopted a ‘Recommendation on involving stakeholders in OTIF’s work’ (OTIF-22002-JUR 2, 5 April 2022). At the same session, the following additional activity was added to the topic ‘Enhancing stakeholder involvement within OTIF’ of the Work Programme (LAW-22037-JUR 2, updated at the 2nd session, 7 April 2022): ‘prepare guidelines on cooperation with international intergovernmental organisations’. This topic was given a high priority in the Work Programme. The ad hoc Committee is invited to consider a structured approach on cooperation with international intergovernmental organisations. Participation of observers: no. 4. Adoption, authentication, certified copies and publication of COTIF In accordance with its 2022-2024 Work Programme (LAW-22037-JUR 2, updated at the 2nd session, 7 April 2022), the ad hoc Committee should ‘[e]xplain legal requirements with regard to the adoption, authentication, certified copies and publication of the Convention. Whenever useful, standardise and harmonise the relevant procedures of the General Assembly and the Revision Committee’. This topic was given a high priority in the Work Programme. At its 2nd session, the ad hoc Committee, among other matters, ‘1) Noted LAW-22027 JUR 2/7 “Adoption, authentication, certified copies and publication of COTIF. Inception Paper.”; 2) Instructed the Secretariat to prepare guidelines on the procedures to be followed by the General Assembly and Revision Committee for the modification of COTIF 1999, with the following elements: a) the recording and presentation of amendments, b) consolidation of the amendments into a single text, c) editorial check of the adopted text to ensure that the three language versions are consistent with each other, d) the relationship between the adopted text of amendments and the text authenticated and notified by the Depositary, e) the status, content and procedure for modifying the Explanatory Report, f) publication of the adopted amendments;’3 The ad hoc Committee is invited to consider guidelines on the procedures to be followed by the General Assembly and the Revision Committee for the modification of COTIF 1999. Participation of observers: no. 5. Suspension and termination of COTIF and/or membership of OTIF with regard to a particular Member State In a written procedure on 4 August 2022, the ad hoc Committee decided to include the topic of ‘suspension and termination of COTIF and/or membership of OTIF with regard to a particular Member State’ in its Work Programme. This topic was given a high priority in the Work Programme. The objective and scope of work are as follows: ‘[r]eview OTIF and international law rules and relevant practice on suspension and termination of treaties and membership (including limitation of some rights).’ 3 See point 7 of OTIF-22001-JUR 2 ‘Décisions 07.04.2022/Beschlüsse 07.04.2022/Decisions 07.04.2022’  5 The ad hoc Committee is invited to start substantive discussions on the topic on the basis of an inception paper prepared by the Secretariat. 6. Information from the Secretariat The Secretary General and the Secretariat’s Legal Department will inform delegates about relevant developments in the fields of legal and international cooperation, in particular:  the status of the Convention and OTIF membership (including the approval of modifications to COTIF adopted by the 12th and 13th General Assemblies);  progress on the nomination of focal points and registered stakeholders;  progress on other items in the Work Programme of the ad hoc Committee. Participation of observers: no. 7. Information from members of the ad hoc Committee OTIF members may wish to inform the ad hoc Committee about relevant developments and activities in the field of international railway transport. Participation of observers: no. 8. Information from the registered stakeholders and intergovernmental organisations Registered stakeholders and intergovernmental organisations may wish to inform the ad hoc Committee about relevant developments and activities in the field of international railway transport. Suggestions with regard to the Work Programme may also be made under this agenda item. Participation of observers: yes. 9. The digitalisation of international transport, particularly freight transport documents The 2022-2024 Work Programme (LAW-22037-JUR 2, updated at the 2nd session, 7 April 2022) of the ad hoc Committee provides that: ‘[n]ew technologies, digitalisation in particular, have the potential to change the organisation and management of railway transport. However, digitalisation brings both improvements and new challenges. The aim is to monitor and assess how digitalisation, and which specific aspects, should be supported and/or regulated by OTIF.’ This topic was given a high priority in the Work Programme. At its 2nd session, the ad hoc Committee, among other matters: ‘1) Noted document LAW-22031 JUR 2/11 on ‘The digitalisation of international transport, particularly freight transport documents. Preliminary Inception Paper.’; 2) After consulting the Focal Points on what questions to include in the surveys, instructed the Secretariat to carry out a survey of: − OTIF members on the national law that is applicable to electronic railway transport documents; − stakeholders on using electronic railway transport documents in national and international rail transport, their experience with them and what their further requirements for them might be.’4 Following consultation of the focal points, the Secretariat launched a survey on rules concerning electronic railway transport documents (see document LAW-22039-JUR 2, 11 May 2022). A report of the survey will be submitted to the session and round-table discussions on rules concerning electronic 4 See point 11 of OTIF-22001-JUR 2 ‘Décisions 07.04.2022/Beschlüsse 07.04.2022/Decisions 07.04.2022’  6 railway transport documents will be organised at the session. The ad hoc Committee is invited to consider the results of the survey and decide on any follow-up actions. Participation of observers: yes. 10. Bill of lading In accordance with its 2022-2024 Work Programme (LAW-22037-JUR 2, updated at the 2nd session, 7 April 2022), the ad hoc Committee should: ‘[c]onsider introducing the possibility of using transport documents with a document of title function for the carriage of goods under the CIM UR.’ This topic was given a medium priority in the Work Programme. At its 4th session, the Working Group of Legal Experts (the predecessor to the ad hoc Committee) considered LAW-21023-GTEJ 4/13 ‘Inception paper on bill of lading’ and, among other matters, ‘instructed the Secretariat to initiate consultations with OTIF’s members and relevant stakeholders on whether it is necessary to introduce the possibility of using transport documents with a document of title function under CIM UR’.5 Following consultation of the focal points, the Secretariat launched a survey on rules concerning negotiable transport documents in rail transport (see document LAW-22040-JUR 2, 11 May 2022). A report of the survey will be submitted to the session and round-table discussions on rules concerning negotiable transport documents in rail transport. The ad hoc Committee is invited to consider the results of the survey and decide on the follow-up actions. Participation of observers: yes. 11. Work Programme At its 1st session, the ad hoc Committee adopted its 2022-2024 Work Programme (LAW-21111-JUR 1, 10 November 2021). At the 2nd session the Work Programme was updated (LAW-22037-JUR 2, 7 April 2022). As a result of the vote by written procedure of 11 July 2022 (LAW-22051-JUR 2), the Work Programme was again updated (LAW-22068-JUR 2, 4 August 2022). The ad hoc Committee may consider updating the Work Programme. Participation of observers: no. 12. Planning and organisation of the next sessions The ad hoc Committee is invited to consider and decide on the dates and venues of its 4th and 5th sessions in 2023. Participation of observers: no. 13. Any other business Participation of observers: no. 5 See point 13 LAW-21053-GTEJ 4 ‘Décisions /Beschlüsse /Decisions’ 15.04.2021