Cross-border cargo flow in international trade on European and Asian railways is carried out based on the provisions of international railway transport law, i.e.:
– The Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail – COTIF, Appendix B – Uniform Rules concerning the Contract of International Carriage of Goods by Rail – CIM, or
– The Agreement on International Goods Transport by Rail – SMGS,
– The Agreement on International Goods Transport by Rail – SMGS,
using transport documents – CIM consignment notes or SMGS consignment notes, along with attached trade documents for the purpose of completing control formalities, including border procedures, during transit. The loading of goods subject to such trade – usually by the consignor – should also be performed in compliance with CIM and SMGS regulations regarding loading methods and must meet safety conditions throughout the entire transport route, while adhering to the specified wagon load limit used in CIM communication or its load capacity in SMGS transport.
The efficiency of cross-border cargo flow in international trade by rail depends mainly on the efficiency of conducting all border control procedures, including the handover of freight shipments to the neighboring railway.
Procedures of state border authorities include border control operations and customs clearance, conditioned by potential phytosanitary and veterinary inspections, along with the examination of international trade documents. The transport of certain agricultural and food products is also subject to state standardization supervision. Procedures of border authorities related to the flow of international cargo across state borders are carried out based on government regulations, parliamentary acts, and international conventions and agreements. The issue of the location for carrying out control procedures is regulated in a similar manner.
The article comes from the magazine “Logistyka” 2002/2.