Bern Convention on the Carriage of Goods by Rail (CIM)

Signed in Bern in 1890 and in force from 1893, the convention became part of COTIF in 1980, last revised by the 1999 Vilnius Protocol in force since July 1, 2006. The CIM rules require a consignment note for each shipment, make the carrier liable for loss, damage and delay from acceptance to delivery, limit compensation for loss to 17 SDR per kilogram, and generally require claims within one year. OTIF has about 51 member states and has consulted on a possible revision of its rail contract law.

CIM rules govern rail freight across Europe and connected regions, including legs of China to Europe rail services used by e-commerce sellers. They set the carrier's liability and the paperwork for each shipment. For example, a container of consumer goods moving by rail from China through Poland to Germany switches from the SMGS regime to CIM, and a common CIM/SMGS consignment note avoids rebooking at the border. The 17 SDR per kilogram limit is higher than ocean carrier limits, but shippers should still insure high-value goods.

• Intermodal FreightFreight moved by rail and truck in one box

• China-Europe Railway Express2011 · Scheduled freight trains run from China to Europe
• Belt and Road Initiative2013 · China funds ports and railways across three continents

• CMR Convention1956, in force 1961 · Treaty on international road freight contracts
• Montreal Convention1999, in force 2003 · Treaty on airline liability for cargo and passengers
• Hague-Visby Rules1968, in force 1977 · Amended Hague Rules on ocean carrier liability

1. Freight legislation (COTIF/CIM), CIT cit-rail.org
2. OTIF Annual Report 2024 otif.org