from 9 th May, 1980<\/p>\n
Version applicable as from 1 st November, 1996<\/p>\n
Consolidated Text Of The Convention Concerning International Carriage By Rail (COTIF)<\/p>\n
(Berne, 9 May 1980)<\/p>\n
[entered into force on 1 May 1985]<\/p>\n
Article 1<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Intergovernmental Organisation<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n The Parties to this Convention shall constitute, as Member States, the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF), hereinafter called “the Organisation”.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n The headquarters of the Organisation shall be at Berne. The General Assembly may decide to locate it at another place in one of the Member States.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n The Organisation shall have legal personality. It shall in particular have the capacity to enter into contracts, to acquire and dispose of immovable and movable assets and to be a party to legal proceedings.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n The Organisation, members of its staff, experts called in by it and representatives of Member States shall enjoy such privileges and immunities as are necessary to discharge their duties, subject to the conditions laid down in the Protocol on the Privileges and Immunities of the Organisation, annexed to the Convention.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Relations between the Organisation and the State in which it has its headquarters shall be regulated by a Headquarters Agreement.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n The working languages of the Organisation shall be English, French and German. The General Assembly may introduce other working languages.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n Article 2<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Aim of the Organisation<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n The aim of the Organisation shall be to promote, improve and facilitate, in all respects, international traffic by rail, in particular by<\/p>\n establishing systems of uniform law in the following fields of law:<\/p>\n contract of international carriage of passengers and goods in international through traffic by rail, including complementary carriage by other modes of transport subject to a single contract;<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n contract of use of wagons as means of transport in international rail traffic;<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n contract of use of infrastructure in international rail traffic;<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n carriage of dangerous goods in international rail traffic;<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n contributing to the removal, in the shortest time possible, of obstacles to the crossing of frontiers in international rail traffic, while taking into account special public interests, to the extent that the causes of these obstacles are within the responsibility of States;<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n contributing to interoperability and technical harmonisation in the railway field by the validation of technical standards and the adoption of uniform technical prescriptions;<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n establishing a uniform procedure for the technical admission of railway material intended for use in international traffic;<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n keeping a watch on the application of all the rules and recommendations established within the Organisation;<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n developing the systems of uniform law, rules and procedures referred to in letters a) to e) taking account of legal, economic and technical developments.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n The Organisation may<\/p>\n within the framework of the aim referred to in \u00a7 1, elaborate other systems of uniform law;<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n constitute a framework within which the Member States can elaborate other international conventions aiming to promote, improve and facilitate international rail traffic.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n Article 3<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n International cooperation<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n The Member States undertake to concentrate their international cooperation in the railway field, in principle, within the framework of the Organisation, and this to the extent that there exists a coherence in the tasks which are attributed to it in accordance with Articles 2 and 4. To attain this objective, the Member States will adopt all measures necessary and useful in order that the international multilateral conventions and agreements in force to which they are contracting parties should be adapted, to the extent that these conventions and agreements concern international cooperation in the railway field and attribute competences to other intergovernmental or non-governmental organisations which cut across the tasks attributed to the Organisation.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n The obligations resulting from \u00a7 1 for the Member States, which are at the same time Members of the European Communities or States parties to the European Economic Area Agreement, shall not prevail over their obligations as members of the European Communities or States parties to the European Economic Area Agreement.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n Article 4<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Taking on and transfer of attributions<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n By a decision of the General Assembly, the Organisation shall be authorized to take on, within the framework of its aim as defined in Article 2, the attributions, resources and obligations which may be transferred to it by other intergovernmental organisations by virtue of agreements concluded with those organisations.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n The Organisation may, by a decision of the General Assembly, transfer to other intergovernmental organisations attributions, resources and obligations, by virtue of agreements concluded with those organisations.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n The Organisation may, with the approval of the Administrative Committee, take on administrative functions related to its aim and which are entrusted to it by a Member State. The expenses of the Organisation, arising out of these functions, shall be met by the Member State concerned.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n Article 5<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Special obligations of the Member States<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n The Member States agree to adopt all appropriate measures in order to facilitate and accelerate international rail traffic. To that end, each Member State undertakes, to the extent possible, to<\/p>\n eliminate any useless procedure,<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n simplify and standardise the formalities already required,<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n simplify frontier checks.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n In order to facilitate and improve international rail traffic, the Member States agree to lend their support to attain the highest possible degree of uniformity in the regulations, standards, procedures and methods of organisation relating to railway vehicles, railway personnel, railway infrastructure and auxiliary services.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n The Member States agree to facilitate the conclusion of agreements between infrastructure managers intended to optimize international rail traffic.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n Article 6<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Uniform Rules<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n So far as declarations are not made in accordance with Article 42 \u00a7 1, first sentence, international rail traffic and admission of railway material to use in international traffic shall be governed by:<\/p>\n the \u201cUniform Rules concerning the Contract of International Carriage of Passengers by Rail (CIV)\u201d, forming Appendix A to the Convention,<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n the \u201cUniform Rules concerning the Contract of International Carriage of Goods by Rail (CIM)\u201d, forming Appendix B to the Convention,<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n the \u201cRegulation concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail (RID)\u201d, forming Appendix C to the Convention,<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n the \u201cUniform Rules concerning Contracts of Use of Vehicles in International Rail Traffic (CUV)\u201d, forming Appendix D to the Convention,<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n the \u201cUniform Rules concerning the Contract of Use of Infrastructure in International Rail Traffic (CUI)\u201d, forming Appendix E to the Convention,<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n the \u201cUniform Rules concerning the Validation of Technical Standards and the Adoption of Uniform Technical Prescriptions applicable to Railway Material intended to be used in International Traffic (APTU)\u201d, forming Appendix F to the Convention,<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n the \u201cUniform Rules concerning Technical Admission of Railway Material used in International Traffic (ATMF)\u201d, forming Appendix G to the Convention,<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n other systems of uniform law elaborated by the Organisation pursuant to Article 2 \u00a7 2, letter a), also forming Appendices to the Convention.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n The Uniform Rules, the Regulation and the systems listed in \u00a7 1, including their Annexes, shall form an integral part of the Convention.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n Article 7<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Definition of the expression \u201cConvention\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n In the following provisions the expression \u201cConvention\u201d covers the Convention itself, the Protocol referred to in article 1 \u00a7 4 and the Appendices referred to in Article 6, including their Annexes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Article 8<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n National law<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n When interpreting and applying the Convention, its character of international law and the necessity to promote uniformity shall be taken into account.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n In the absence of provisions in the Convention, national law shall apply.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \u201cNational law\u201d means the law of the State in which the person entitled asserts his rights, including the rules relating to conflict of laws.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n Article 9<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Unit of account<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n The unit of account referred to in the Appendices shall be the Special Drawing Right as defined by the International Monetary Fund.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n The value in Special Drawing Rights of the national currency of a Member State which is a member of the International Monetary Fund shall be calculated in accordance with the method applied by the International Monetary Fund for its own operations and transactions.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n The value in Special Drawing Rights of the national currency of a Member State which is not a member of the International Monetary Fund shall be calculated by the method determined by that State. This calculation must express in the national currency a real value as close as possible to that which would result from the application of \u00a7 2.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n For a Member State which is not a member of the International Monetary Fund and whose legislation does not permit the application of \u00a7 2 or \u00a7 3 above, the unit of account referred to in the Appendices shall be deemed to be equal to three gold francs. The gold franc is defined as 10\/31 of a gramme of gold of millesimal fineness 900. The conversion of the gold franc must express in the national currency a real value as close as possible to that which would result from the application of \u00a7 2.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Within three months after the entry into force of the Convention and each time that a change occurs in their method of calculation or in the value of their national currency in relation to the unit of account, States shall notify the Secretary General of their method of calculation in accordance with \u00a7 3 or of the results of the conversion in accordance with \u00a7 4. The latter shall inform the Member States of these notifications.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n An amount expressed in units of account shall be converted into the national currency of the State of the court or tribunal seized. The conversion shall be made in accordance with the value of the corresponding currency on the day of the judicial decision or on the day agreed between the parties.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n Article 10<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Supplementary provisions<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Two or more Member States or two or more carriers may agree supplementary provisions for the execution of the CIV Uniform Rules and the CIM Uniform Rules; they may not derogate from these Uniform Rules.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n The supplementary provisions referred to in \u00a7 1 shall be put into force and published in the manner required by the laws and prescriptions of each State. The supplementary provisions of States and their coming into force shall be notified to the Secretary General. He shall inform the Member States of these notifications.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n Article 11<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Security for costs<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Security for costs cannot be required in proceedings founded on the CIV Uniform Rules, the CIM Uniform Rules, the CUV Uniform Rules or the CUI Uniform Rules.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Article 12<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Execution of judgments – Attachment<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Judgments pronounced by the competent court or tribunal pursuant to the provisions of the Convention after trial or by default shall, when they have become enforceable under the law applied by that court or tribunal, become enforceable in each of the other Member States on completion of the formalities required in the State where enforcement is to take place. The merits of the case shall not be subject to review. These provisions shall apply also to judicial settlements.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \u00a7 1 shall apply neither to judgments which are provisionally enforceable, nor to awards of damages in addition to costs against a plaintiff who fails in his action.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Debts arising from a transport operation subject to the CIV Uniform Rules or the CIM Uniform Rules, owed to one transport undertaking by another transport undertaking not under the jurisdiction of the same Member State, may only be attached under a judgment given by the judicial authority of the Member State which has jurisdiction over the undertaking entitled to payment of the debt sought to be attached.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Debts arising from a contract subject to the CUV Uniform Rules or the CUI Uniform Rules may only be attached under a judgment given by the judicial authority of the Member State which has jurisdiction over the undertaking entitled to payment of the debts sought to be attached.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Railway vehicles may only be seized on a territory other than that of the Member State in which the keeper has its registered office, under a judgment given by the judicial authority of that State. The term \u201ckeeper\u201d means the person who, being the owner or having the right to dispose of it, exploits the railway vehicle economically in a permanent manner as a means of transport.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n Article 13<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Organs<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n The functioning of the Organisation shall be ensured by the following organs:<\/p>\n the General Assembly,<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n the Administrative Committee,<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n the Revision Committee,<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n the Committee of Experts for the Carriage of Dangerous Goods (RID Expert Committee),<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n the Rail Facilitation Committee,<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n the Committee of Technical Experts,<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n the Secretary General.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n The General Assembly may decide to establish temporarily other committees for specific tasks.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n On the determination of the quorum in the General Assembly or in the Committees referred to in \u00a7 1, letters c) to f), Member States which do not have the right to vote (Article 14 \u00a7 5, Article 26 \u00a7 7 or Article 40 \u00a7 4) shall not be taken into account.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n The chairmanship of the General Assembly, the chairmanship of the Administrative Committee as well as the function of Secretary General must, in principle, be conferred on nationals of different Member States.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n Article 14<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n General Assembly<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n The General Assembly shall be composed of all Member States.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n The General Assembly shall:<\/p>\n establish its rules of procedure;<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n designate the members of the Administrative Committee as well as a deputy member for each member and elect the Member State which will provide the chairmanship of it (Article 15 \u00a7\u00a7 1 to 3);<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n elect the Secretary General (Article 21 \u00a7 2);<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n issue directives concerning the activity of the Administrative Committee and the Secretary General;<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n fix, for six-year periods, the maximum amount that the expenditure of the Organisation may reach in each budgetary period (article 25); if not, it shall issue directives relating to the limitation of that expenditure for a period no longer than six years;<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n decide whether the headquarters of the Organisation should be located at another place (Article 1 \u00a7 2);<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n take decisions about the introduction of other working languages (Article 1 \u00a7 6);<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n take decisions about the taking on of other attributions by the Organisation (Article 4 \u00a7 1) and the transfer of attributions of the Organisation to another intergovernmental organisation (Article 4 \u00a7 2);<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n decide, if necessary, on the temporary establishment of other committees for specific tasks (Article 13 \u00a7 2);<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n consider whether the attitude of a State should be regarded as a tacit denunciation (Article 26 \u00a7 7);<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n decide whether to entrust the carrying out of the auditing of the accounts to another Member State than the Headquarters State (Article 27 \u00a7 1);<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n take decisions about proposals aiming to modify the Convention (Article 33 \u00a7\u00a7 2 and 3);<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n take decisions about applications for accession submitted to the General Assembly (Article 37 \u00a7 4);<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n take decisions about the conditions of accession of a regional economic integration organisation (Article 38 \u00a7 1);<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n take decisions about applications for association submitted to it (Article 39 \u00a7 1);<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n take decisions about the dissolution of the Organisation and about the possible transfer of its attributions to another intergovernmental organisation (Article 43);<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n take decisions about other questions placed on the agenda.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n The Secretary General shall convene the General Assembly once every three years or at the request either of one-third of the Member States or of the Administrative Committee, as well as in the cases referred to in Article 33 \u00a7\u00a7 2 and 3 and in Article 37 \u00a7 4. He shall send the draft agenda to the Member States at least three months before the opening of the session, in accordance with the conditions defined by the rules of procedure referred to in \u00a7 1, letter a).<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n There shall be a quorum (Article 13 \u00a7 3) in the General Assembly when the majority of the Member States are represented there. A Member State may arrange to be represented by another Member State; however a State may not represent more than one other State.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n In the case of a vote in the General Assembly concerning modifications of the Appendices to the Convention, Member States which have made a declaration in respect of the Appendix in question pursuant to Article 42 \u00a7 1, first sentence, shall not have the right to vote.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n The General Assembly shall take its decisions by the majority of the Member States represented at the time of the vote, save in the case of \u00a7 2, letters e), f), g), h), l) and p) as well as of Article 34 \u00a7 6, for which the majority shall be two-thirds. However, in the case of \u00a7 2, letter l) the majority shall be two-thirds only in the case of proposals aiming to modify the Convention itself, with the exception of Articles 9 and 27 \u00a7\u00a7 2 to 5 and the Protocol referred to in Article 1 \u00a7 4.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n On the invitation of the Secretary General, issued with the agreement of a majority of the Member States,<\/p>\n States which are not members of the Organisation,<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n international organisations and associations having competence for questions concerning the Organisation\u2019s activities or dealing with problems which have been placed on the agenda,<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n may attend sessions of the General Assembly in an advisory capacity.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n Article 15<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Administrative Committee<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n The Administrative Committee shall be composed of a third of the Member States.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n The members of the Committee and one deputy member for each of them as well as the Member State which chairs the Committee shall be designated for three years. The composition of the Committee shall be determined for each period, having regard in particular to an equitable geographical distribution. A deputy member that becomes a member of the Committee in the course of a period must be designated as a member of the Committee for the period which follows.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n If a vacancy occurs or the right to vote of a member is suspended or in the case of absence of a member for two consecutive sessions of the Committee, without the member arranging to be represented by another member in accordance with \u00a7 6, the deputy member designated by the General Assembly shall exercise its functions for the remainder of the period.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n With the exception of the case referred to in \u00a7 3, no Member State may sit on the Committee for more than two full consecutive periods.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n The Committee shall:<\/p>\n establish its rules of procedure;<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n conclude the Headquarters Agreement;<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n establish the staff regulation for the Organisation;<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n appoint, taking account of the ability of the candidates and an equitable geographical distribution, the senior officers of the Organisation;<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n establish a regulation concerning the finances and book-keeping of the Organisation;<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n approve the work program, budget, management report and accounts of the Organisation;<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n fix, on the basis of the approved accounts, the definitive contributions due from the Member States in accordance with Article 26 for the two previous calendar years, as well as the amount of the treasury advance due from the Member States in accordance with Article 26 \u00a7 5 for the current year and the next calendar year;<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n determine the attributions of the Organisation which concern all the Member States or only some of the Member States as well as the expenses to be borne, in consequence, by these Member States (Article 26 \u00a7 4);<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n fix the amount of specific remuneration (Article 26 \u00a7 11);<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n issue special directives concerning the auditing of accounts (Article 27 \u00a7 1);<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n approve the taking on of administrative functions by the Organisation (Article 4 \u00a7 3) and fix the specific contributions due from the Member State concerned;<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n send to the Member States the management report, the statement of accounts as well as its decisions and recommendations;<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n prepare and send to the Member States, with a view to the General Assembly which is to decide the composition of the Committee, at least two months before the opening of the session, a report on its activity as well as proposals as to how it should be reconstituted (Article 14 \u00a7 2, letter b));<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n keep a check on the conduct of business by the Secretary General;<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n keep a watch on the proper application of the Convention by the Secretary General and the execution, by the Secretary General, of decisions taken by the other organs; to this end, the Committee may take all measures likely to improve the application of the Convention and of the above mentioned decisions;<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n give reasoned opinions on questions which may affect the work of the Organisation and are submitted to the Committee by a Member State or by the Secretary General;<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n resolve disputes between a Member State and the Secretary General with respect to his function as Depositary (Article 36 \u00a7 2);<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n take decisions about applications for suspension of membership (Article 40).<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n There shall be a quorum in the Administrative Committee when two-thirds of its members are represented there. However, a member may arrange to be represented by another member; no member may however represent more than one other member.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n The Committee shall take its decisions by the majority of the members represented at the time of vote.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Unless it decides otherwise, the Committee shall meet at the headquarters of the Organisation. The minutes of its meetings shall be sent to all Member States.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n The Chairman of the Committee shall:<\/p>\n convene the Committee at least once a year as well as at the request of four of its members or of the Secretary General;<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n send to the members of the Committee the draft agenda;<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n deal, within the limits and under the conditions laid down in the rules of procedure, with urgent questions arising in the interval between meetings;<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n sign the Headquarters Agreement referred to in \u00a7 5, letter b).<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n The Committee may, within the limits of its own responsibilities, instruct the Chairman to carry out certain specific tasks.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n Article 16<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Other Committees<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n The Committees referred to in Article 13 \u00a7 1, letters c) to f) and \u00a7 2 shall be composed, in principle, of all Member States. When the Revision Committee, the RID Expert Committee or the Committee of Technical Experts deliberate and take decisions, within the limits of their competence, about modifications of the Appendices to the Convention, Member States which have made a declaration in respect of the Appendices in question pursuant to Article 42 \u00a7 1, first sentence, shall not be members of the Committee concerned.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n The Secretary General shall convene the Committees either on his own initiative or at the request of five Member States or of the Administrative Committee. The Secretary General shall send the draft agenda to the Member States at least two months before the opening of the meeting.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n A Member State may arrange to be represented by another Member State; no State may however represent more than two other States.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Each Member State represented shall have one vote. A proposal shall be adopted if the number of votes in favour is:<\/p>\n equal to at least one-third of the number of Member States represented at the time of the vote and<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n greater than the number of votes against.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n On the invitation of the Secretary General, issued with the agreement of a majority of the Member States,<\/p>\n\n\n
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\n (a)<\/td>\n \n \n (b)<\/td>\n \n \n (c)<\/td>\n \n \n (d)<\/td>\n \n \n (e)<\/td>\n \n \n (f)<\/td>\n \n \n (g)<\/td>\n \n \n (h)<\/td>\n \n \n 2.<\/td>\n \n Title II – Common provisions<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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\n 1.<\/td>\n \n \n 2.<\/td>\n \n \n 3.<\/td>\n \n \n\n
\n 1.<\/td>\n \n \n 2.<\/td>\n \n \n 3.<\/td>\n \n \n 4.<\/td>\n \n \n 5.<\/td>\n \n \n 6.<\/td>\n \n \n\n
\n 1.<\/td>\n \n \n 2.<\/td>\n \n \n\n
\n 1.<\/td>\n \n \n 2.<\/td>\n \n \n 3.<\/td>\n \n \n 4.<\/td>\n \n \n 5.<\/td>\n \n Title III – Structure and functioning<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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\n 1.<\/td>\n \n \n\n
\n (a)<\/td>\n \n \n (b)<\/td>\n \n \n (c)<\/td>\n \n \n (d)<\/td>\n \n \n (e)<\/td>\n \n \n (f)<\/td>\n \n \n (g)<\/td>\n \n \n 2.<\/td>\n \n \n 3.<\/td>\n \n \n 4.<\/td>\n \n \n\n
\n 1.<\/td>\n \n \n 2.<\/td>\n \n \n\n
\n (a)<\/td>\n \n \n (b)<\/td>\n \n \n (c)<\/td>\n \n \n (d)<\/td>\n \n \n (e)<\/td>\n \n \n (f)<\/td>\n \n \n (g)<\/td>\n \n \n (h)<\/td>\n \n \n (i)<\/td>\n \n \n (j)<\/td>\n \n \n (k)<\/td>\n \n \n (l)<\/td>\n \n \n (m)<\/td>\n \n \n (n)<\/td>\n \n \n (o)<\/td>\n \n \n (p)<\/td>\n \n \n (q)<\/td>\n \n \n 3.<\/td>\n \n \n 4.<\/td>\n \n \n 5.<\/td>\n \n \n 6.<\/td>\n \n \n 7.<\/td>\n \n \n\n
\n (a)<\/td>\n \n \n (b)<\/td>\n \n \n\n
\n 1.<\/td>\n \n \n 2.<\/td>\n \n \n 3.<\/td>\n \n \n 4.<\/td>\n \n \n 5.<\/td>\n \n \n\n
\n (a)<\/td>\n \n \n (b)<\/td>\n \n \n (c)<\/td>\n \n \n (d)<\/td>\n \n \n (e)<\/td>\n \n \n (f)<\/td>\n \n \n (g)<\/td>\n \n \n (h)<\/td>\n \n \n (i)<\/td>\n \n \n (j)<\/td>\n \n \n (k)<\/td>\n \n \n (l)<\/td>\n \n \n (m)<\/td>\n \n \n (n)<\/td>\n \n \n (o)<\/td>\n \n \n (p)<\/td>\n \n \n (q)<\/td>\n \n \n (r)<\/td>\n \n \n 6.<\/td>\n \n \n 7.<\/td>\n \n \n 8.<\/td>\n \n \n 9.<\/td>\n \n \n\n
\n (a)<\/td>\n \n \n (b)<\/td>\n \n \n (c)<\/td>\n \n \n (d)<\/td>\n \n \n 10.<\/td>\n \n \n\n
\n 1.<\/td>\n \n \n 2.<\/td>\n \n \n 3.<\/td>\n \n \n 4.<\/td>\n \n \n\n
\n (a)<\/td>\n \n \n (b)<\/td>\n \n \n 5.<\/td>\n \n \n\n
\n (a)<\/td>\n \n