(1)

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

(2)

All Member States, with the exception of Cyprus and Malta, are contracting parties to and apply the COTIF Convention.

(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. It does so, inter alia, by referring to the Regulations concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail, which appear as Appendix C to the COTIF Convention (‘RID’). In addition, Article 4 of Directive 2008/68/EC provides that the transport of dangerous goods between Member States and third countries is to be authorised in so far as it complies with the requirements of the RID, unless otherwise indicated in the Annexes.

(4)

At its 54th session, due to take place on 25 May 2016, the Committee of Experts for the Carriage of Dangerous Goods (‘RID Expert Committee’) set up in accordance with point (d) of Article 13§ 1 of the COTIF Convention is expected to decide upon certain amendments to the RID. The objective of those amendments, which concern technical standards or uniform technical prescriptions, is to ensure safe and efficient transport of dangerous goods whilst taking into account scientific and technical progress in the sector as well as the development of new substances and articles that pose a danger during the transport of those goods.

(5)

The committee on the transport of dangerous goods established by Directive 2008/68/EC has carried out preliminary discussions on the proposed amendments.

(6)

All of the proposed amendments are justified and beneficial, and should therefore be supported by the Union.

(7)

The position of the Union at the 54th session of the RID Expert Committee should therefore be based on the Annex to this Decision,