The Ratification of Maritime Conventions
Chapter I.5.256
(COTIF PROTOCOL, 1999) PROTOCOL FOR THE MODIFICATION OF THE CONVENTION CONCERNING INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT BY RAIL, 1980
ADOPTED: Done at Vilnius, 3 June 1999
REFERENCE: COTIF Protocol 1999
ENTERED INTO FORCE: 1 July 2006
DEPOSITARY: Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF)
SECRETARY: Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF)
IMPLEMENTATION
SIGNATURE, RATIFICATION, ACCEPTANCE, APPROVAL AND ACCESSION
Article III
1. This Protocol shall remain open for signature by the Member States until 31 December 1999. The signing shall take place at Berne at the office of the Provisional Depositary.
2. In accordance with Article 20, paragraph 1 of COTIF 1980, this Protocol shall be subject to ratification, acceptance or approval. The instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval shall be deposited as soon as possible with the Provisional Depositary.
3. The Member States which have not signed this Protocol within the period provided for in paragraph 1, as well as States of which the application to accede to COTIF 1980 is deemed to have been accepted in accordance with its Article 23, paragraph 2, may accede to this Protocol before its entry into force by depositing an instrument of accession with the Provisional Depositary.
4. The accession of a State to COTIF 1980 in accordance with its Article 23, the application to accede having been made during the period between the opening of this Protocol for signature and its entry into force, shall be considered as an accession to COTIF 1980 as well as to the Convention in its new version which appears in the Annex to this Protocol.
ENTRY INTO FORCE
Article IV
1. This Protocol shall enter into force on the first day of the third month following that during which the Provisional Depositary will have notified the Member States of the deposit of the instrument by which the conditions of Article 20, paragraph 2 of the COTIF 1980, are fulfilled. States which, at the time of the decision of the fifth General Assembly, were Member States and which are still such at the moment when the conditions for entry into force of this Protocol are satisfied, shall be considered as Member States within the meaning of the said Article 20, paragraph 2.
2. However, Article 3 shall be applicable from the opening for signature of this Protocol.
DECLARATIONS AND RESERVATIONS
Article V
Declarations and reservations, provided for in Article 42, paragraph 1 of the Convention in the version in the Annex to this Protocol, may be made or lodged at any time, even before the entry into force of this Protocol. They shall take effect at the time of entry into force of this Protocol.
DECLARATIONS AND RESERVATIONS
Austria
At the time of the deposit of its instrument of ratification, Austria reserved the right in accordance with Article 2 (1) of the Uniform Rules concerning the Contract of Use of Infrastructure in International Rail Traffic (CUI), Appendix E to the version of COTIF in the Annex to this Protocol not to apply to passengers involved in accidents occurring on its territory the whole of the provisions concerning the liability of the carrier in case of death of, or personal injury to, passengers, when the passenger is a national of, or has his usual place of residence in Austria.
Latvia
At the time of confirmation of the deposit of its instrument of ratification, Latvia reserved the right in accordance with Article 2(1) of the Uniform Rules of Infrastructure in International Rail Traffic (CUI), that Latvia will not apply to passengers involved in accidents on its territory the whole of the provisions concerning liability in case of death of, or personal injury to, passengers, when such passengers are nationals of, or have their usual place of residence in Latvia.