On June 20, 2024, the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) between the Permanent Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Commission TRACECA (PS IGC TRACECA) and the Organisation for Co-operation between Railways (OSJD) took place.

Opening the session, Chairman of the OSJD Committee, Mr. Miroslaw Antonowicz welcomed all delegations who arrived in Warsaw to participate in-person, wished fruitful and constructive work and briefly informed the participants about the OSJD activities which are currently carried out.

During his speech, the Secretary General emphasized the joint and productive work with the OSJD done over the past 3 years. In particular, joint workshops on use of the CIM/SMGS consignment note on TRACECA railway routes laid the foundation for practical results. "The preparation of the prototype of the e-CIM/SMGS consignment note has been completed and the first virtual piloting of the exchange of the electronic consignment note between railway carriers took place from 3 to 7 June this year. I believe that through joint efforts we will bring countries closer to digital transportation in the near future for the benefit of our participating countries. Undoubtedly, this work will make a significant contribution to reducing the time of cargo transport and border crossing, since it eliminates the need to fill in consignment notes when changing international railway systems in which the SMGS Agreement and the COTIF Convention operate," the TRACECA Secretary General said in his speech.

The signatories, represented by the Secretary General of the PS IGC TRACECA, Mr. Assavbayev A.A. and Chairman of the OSJD Committee, Mr. Miroslaw Antonowicz, expressed their confidence in further successful implementation of joint initiatives and noted the importance of coordinated activities in the development of the TRACECA and OSJD regions.

The signed Memorandum is an important step towards strengthening partnerships aimed at strategic cooperation between the PS IGC TRACECA and the OSJD Committee, thereby ensuring the exchange of advanced technologies, experience and resources for the effective implementation of ambitious transport projects within the framework of the activities of the executive bodies of the two organizations.

Related news:

• TRACECA and OSJD discussed the possibilities of deepening cooperation

https://traceca-org.org/en/news/single-news/n/discussion_of_prospects_for_traceca_osjd_cooperation/

For reference:

• OSJD - Organization for Co-operation between Railways is an international organization established at the Session of the Railway Ministers Conference, on June 28, 1956 in Sofia, Republic of Bulgaria.  As of June 2023, OSJD unites 30 countries of Europe and Asia, 4 railway companies have observer status, and 36 companies and organizations directly involved in the railway activities have the status of an affiliated OSJD enterprise.