4/25
News from the 39th meeting of the CIM Working Group
The 39th meeting of the CIM WG took place in Bern and online (via Zoom). It was opened and chaired by Chairwoman Carola Folch von Sydow (DB AG) at CIT Headquarters in Bern. The in-depth discussions on the various topics on the agenda testified to the expertise of the participants and the importance of the topics addressed. This article covers three core topics outside of the revision of COTIF CIM and CUV (for more on which, see the dedicated article in this edition).
Further enhancement of CIT freight products
The CIT GS introduced the topic by informing members that by decision of the CIM Committee on 27 March 2025, the new CIT product “Boilerplate contract on substitute carriage in international rail freight” had taken effect for all CIT members on 1 July 2025.
The CIT GS also reported on the finalisation of the second CIT product for the “sub-contracted carriage" model, specifically the boilerplate clause for special movements. The “boilerplate clause on substitute carriage in international rail freight” is a standardised contract clause proposed by the CIT GS which in accordance with the opting-in principle can be incorporated into CIT members’ existing contracts for sub-contracted carriage under the CIM UR. The document will be tabled for approval at the CIM Committee meeting of 26 March 2026 and is set to take effect on 1 July 2026.
The subsequent discussion examined other possible additions to the CIT rail freight product range. Ensuring that documentation and products were prominently displayed and easy to find on the CIT website was also discussed and will be the focus of a special project for the CIT General Secretariat during 2026.
Status and next steps on the revision of TAF TSI and the new “TSI Telematics”
The 107th meeting of the Railway Safety and Interoperability Committee took place on 13 November 2025. An online follow-up meeting of the Joint Sector Group (JSG) was held on 17 November 2025, chaired by Jan-Christian Arms (DB AG), during which the various participants and sector associations brainstormed ideas.
The CIT GS takes a proactive role in the important discussions aiming to alter the regulatory structures of the TSI Telematics, which are taking place in the coordinating meetings with ERA as part of the new Core Team with RNE (Rail Net Europe). CIT attended and was particularly vocal vis-à-vis the interplay between point 3.1 of the annex, Electronic rail freight transport information and Electronic consignment note, and existing CIT products in this space. The CIT GS will continue to analyse the challenges and impacts arising for CIT members and intends to investigate the impact of the new version of the TSI Telematics on the various CIT products during 2026. With its partners in the JSG, the CIT GS will prepare a Sector Handbook to support implementation of version EN10.3 of the TSI Telematics.
New NHM coding for cross-border rail freight, in cooperation with UIC
At the request of the European Commission, the UIC NHM Working Group has been working on a solution to align the NHM codes for commodities carried by rail with the Harmonised System, in particular 7-position codes in chapter 27 and chapter 99 for groupage.
NHM chapter 27 was aligned with the HS codes effective 1 May 2025, shortly after the entry into force of the new EU Customs Code NCTS 5 at the end of January. Chapter 99 on groupage remains under amendment; alignment will be completed to coincide with the 2032 edition of the HS by the WCO (World Customs Organisation). UIC has published the new codes as aligned with the HS in new IRS. The accompanying text to GLV-CIM box 24 will need to be checked as to whether the 6-position NHM commodity code still needs to be indicated and if so at what NHM level (chapter, position, sub-position). The CIT GS and experts in the UIC NHM Working Group will investigate.
Next meeting
The 40th meeting of the CIM WG will take place in-person on 24-25 June 2026 at the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in Bern and will feature a social programme.