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CIV Committee prepares for 2022

During a shorter-than-usual session, the CIV Committee adopted the bulk of the proposals submitted
 

This year’s meeting was shortened to a morning session only so that a workshop on the AJC could be held during the afternoon.

Participants thus focused on those points requiring a decision, referring to the working document they had received for the other agenda items.

Inclusion of a final chapter in all CIT Passenger products

The CIV Committee approved the inclusion of a final chapter in the various CIT Passenger products. The chapter is a formal addition whose purpose is to clarify each product’s date of applicability and entry into force.

Amendments to the Agreement concerning the Relationships between Transport Undertakings in respect of International Passenger Traffic by Rail (AIV)

The AIV has undergone a few modifications resulting from the inclusion of RPTs (Rail Pass Tickets) in its scope of application. This work will continue next year with the inclusion of RIT tickets (Rail Inclusive Tours).

Change in status of the General Conditions of Carriage for Rail Passengers (GCC-CIV/PRR)

Presently, the GCC-CIV/PRR are an opt-in CIT product, meaning that they apply only to those companies that have notified the CIT GS in writing of their intention to apply them.

However, it transpires that numerous companies apply the GCC-CIV/PRR despite never having officially thus opted-in. For this reason, and in order to align theory with practice, the Committee has voted to convert the GCC-CIV/PRR into an opt-out product. That means that in future, all CIT member companies will be considered as applying the GCC-CIV/PRR unless stated otherwise: any member wishing to opt out must notify the CIT GS in writing, giving at least six months’ notice; they will then be considered as having opted out from 1 January the following year.

A transition period is planned to give CIT members time to examine whether or not they wish to opt out.

As a result, although the change in status was adopted by the CIV Committee this year, it will take effect only on 11 December 2022. CIT member companies wishing to opt out from the GCC-CIV/PRR in whole or part thus need to notify the CIT GS in writing by 30 June 2022.

A greater role in data protection

The CIV Committee also endorsed the modifications made to the Manual on Data Protection for transport companies (MDP) and noted that the CIT GS intends to release a paper version of the MDP for 2022.

The CIV Committee also confirmed the importance of the Group of Experts on Data Protection by converting it into a working group. As a consequence, the group will henceforth no longer report to the CIV Working Group but to the Committee directly.

Incorporating the RIA agreement into the Manual for Cooperation Contracts in international Passenger Traffic by Rail (MCOOP)

The RIA (Agreement governing the exchange and use of trainsets in international traffic) has been successfully incorporated into the MCOOP. The CIV Committee noted that other changes to the MCOOP are due between now and next year, with the probable inclusion of the revised Agreement governing the exchange and use of coaches in international traffic (RIC), itself incorporating the RIL (Agreement governing the exchange and use of locomotives in international traffic).

Assorted changes to other CIT products

Various updates have been made to the Agreement concerning Journey Continuation in respect of International Passenger Traffic by Rail (AJC) on the basis of fresh information supplied by members.

The Manual for International Rail Tickets (MIRT) has also undergone a number of modifications, specifically clarifications on the use of grey areas, additional information on the OSDM (Open Sales Distribution Model) project, the use of the “CIV/SMPS” marking on tickets for use in East-West traffic, and lastly, additional information on Eurail’s new RPT, the Flexible Size Ticket.

Forthcoming meetings in the field of passenger traffic

The next CIV Committee meeting will take place on 27 September 2022, venue still to be defined.

The CIV WG’s next meeting will be held by video conference on 24 November 2021, the day before the CIT General Assembly.

jan.vavra(at)cit-rail.org