Council Decision (EU) 2024/1315 of 22 April 2024 on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union at the 58th session of the Committee of Experts for the Carriage of Dangerous Goods of the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail as regards the amendment of Appendix C to the Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail
Date: 2024-04-22
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: international convention, international organisation, international transport, rail transport, revision of an agreement, technical regulations, technological change, transport of dangerous goods, transport regulations, transport safety








L_202401315EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
L series













2024/1315


15.5.2024







            COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2024/1315
         
of 22 April 2024
         
on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union at the 58th session of the Committee of Experts for the Carriage of Dangerous Goods of the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail as regards the amendment of Appendix C to the Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail


THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 91, in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof,


Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:







(1)


The Union acceded to the Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail (‘COTIF’) of 9 May 1980, as amended by the Vilnius Protocol of 3 June 1999, by means of Council Decision 2013/103/EU (1).












(2)


In accordance with Article 6 of COTIF, international rail traffic and admission of railway material to use in international traffic are to be governed by the rules which are listed in that Article, in particular the Regulation concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail (RID), which forms Appendix C to COTIF.












(3)


Directive 2008/68/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (2) lays down requirements for the transport of dangerous goods by road, by rail or by inland waterway within or between Member States, with reference to RID.












(4)


In accordance with Article 18 of COTIF, the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail Committee of Experts for the Carriage of Dangerous Goods referred to in Article 13(1), point (d), of COTIF (‘RID Expert Committee’) may adopt amendments to, inter alia, the Annex to RID.












(5)


The RID Expert Committee, during its 58th session on 23 May 2024, is expected to adopt amendments to adapt the Annex to RID to scientific and technical progress.












(6)


It is appropriate to establish the position to be adopted on the Union’s behalf within the RID Expert Committee, as the amendments to RID will be binding on the Union.












(7)


The envisaged amendments aim at ensuring safe and efficient transport of dangerous goods by rail while taking into account scientific and technical progress in the sector and the development of new substances and articles that could pose danger while being transported.












(8)


The envisaged amendments are considered to be appropriate for the safe transport of dangerous goods in a cost effective manner and can therefore be supported.












(9)


Minor changes to the documents referred to in the Annex to this Decision may be agreed at technical level at the 17th session of the RID Expert Commitee’s standing working group of 22 May 2024, including on the basis of recommendations of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Joint Meeting of the RID Expert Committee and the Working Party on the Transport of Dangerous Goods,





HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:



Article 1
The position to be taken on the Union’s behalf at the 58th session of the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail Committee of Experts for the Carriage of Dangerous Goods (‘RID Expert Committee’) in the framework of the Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail of 9 May 1980, as amended by the Vilnius Protocol of 3 June 1999, shall be as set out in the Annex to this Decision.
Minor changes to the documents referred to in the Annex to this Decision may be agreed to by the representatives of the Union within the RID Expert Committee without further decision of the Council.


Article 2
The decisions of the RID Expert Committee shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union, indicating the date of their entry into force.


Article 3
This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.




Done at Luxembourg, 22 April 2024.


For the Council


The President

J. BORRELL FONTELLES
            





(1)  Council Decision 2013/103/EU of 16 June 2011 on the signing and conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail on the Accession of the European Union to the Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF) of 9 May 1980, as amended by the Vilnius Protocol of 3 June 1999 (OJ L 51, 23.2.2013, p. 1).

(2)  Directive 2008/68/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 September 2008 on the inland transport of dangerous goods (OJ L 260, 30.9.2008, p. 13).




ANNEX









Proposal


Reference document


Issue


Comments


EU position




1.


OTIF/RID/CE/GTP/2023/3


Amendment to RID Chapter 1.4.2.2.7 on the reference to UIC Leaflet 472 (obligation of the carrier to inform the driver of the position of dangerous goods in the train)


Technical consensus at the OTIF Standing Working Group to adopt the text as amended


Agree




2.


OTIF/RID/CE/GTP/2023/4


Amendment to RID Chapter 5.3.4.1 on the provisions for shunting marks


Technical consensus at the OTIF Standing Working Group to adopt the text as amended


Agree




3.


OTIF/RID/CE/GTP/2023/5


Amendment to RID to include provisions for the carriage of molten aluminium of UN number 3257


Technical consensus at the OTIF Standing Working Group to adopt the text as amended


Agree




4.


OTIF/RID/CE/GTP/2023/7


Amendment to RID Chapter 1.11 to introduce a reference to the newest edition of UIC IRS 20201


Technical consensus at the OTIF Standing Working Group to adopt the text as amended


Agree




5.


OTIF/RID/CE/GTP/2023/8 and OTIF/RID/CE/GTP/2023/INF.10


Identification in the transport document of the wagon and, where appropriate, of the large container, tank-container or portable tank


Technical consensus at the OTIF Standing Working Group to adopt the text as amended


Agree




6.


OTIF/RID/CE/GTP/2023/9


Amendment to RID Chapter 3.2.2 to introduce a reference to UIC IRS 20221 instead of UIC leaflet 221


Technical consensus at the OTIF Standing Working Group to adopt the text as amended


Agree




7.


OTIF/RID/CE/GTP/2023/10


Consolidated texts adopted by the Joint Meeting in 2021 and 2022 and by the RID Committee of Experts’ standing working group in November 2022


Technical consensus at the OTIF Standing Working Group to adopt the text as amended


Agree




8.


OTIF/RID/CE/GTP/2023/11


Extracts from the draft report of the 114th session of UNECE WP.15 (Geneva, 6 to 10 November 2023) (documents ECE/TRANS/WP.15/2023/R.3 and Adds as well as ECE/TRANS/WP.15/ 2023/R.4 and Adds)


Technical consensus at the OTIF Standing Working Group to adopt the text as amended


Agree




9.


OTIF/RID/CE/GTP/2023/INF.4


Amendment to RID to introduce a reference to the 3rd edition of UIC IRS 50592


Technical consensus at the OTIF Standing Working Group to adopt the text as amended


Agree




10.


ECE-TRANS-WP15-114-GE-inf7e


Proposal on how to modify RID CW38 in order to allow for carriage in bulk of specific categories of wastes containing asbestos (UN Nos. 2590 and 2212)


Technical consensus at the OTIF Standing Working Group to adopt the text as amended


Agree




11.


ECE-TRANS-WP15-114-GE-inf14e


Proposals on how to adjust RID Chapters 4.1 and 5.4 to allow for transport of waste in inner packagings packed together in an outer packaging


Technical consensus at the OTIF Standing Working Group to adopt the text as amended


Agree




12.


ECE-TRANS-WP15-114-GE-inf19e


Amendment to RID 1.8.3.11 (b), 2nd indent, to precise the subjects of examination for the safety advisers


Technical consensus at the OTIF Standing Working Group to adopt the text as amended


Agree




All the documents above are available on the OTIF’s website (http://otif.org/en/?page_id=7321 and http://otif.org/en/?page_id=7322) or on the UNECE website (https://unece.org/info/Transport/Dangerous-Goods/events/377548) and shall be understood as comprising the amendments discussed in the RID Committee of Experts’ standing working group of November 2023 and reflected in Annex I to document OTIF/RID/CE/GTP/2023-A (Final report of the 16th session of the RID Committee of Experts’ standing working group — London, 20 to 23 November 2023), also available on the OTIF’s website (http://otif.org/en/?page_id=254).



ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2024/1315/oj
ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)