On 16 April the Commercial and Distribution Forum was held at the UIC headquarters in Paris. The Forum was attended by representatives of NMBS/SNCB, ZSSK, TRAINOSE, TRENITALIA, RENFE, DB, SNCF, SBB/CFF/FFS, NS, DSB, ČD, ATOC, SŽ, EURAIL and ÖBB. CIT and CER were also present.

The meeting, chaired by the president of the Commercial and Distribution Forum Mr Ruetger Fenkes (DB), started with a welcome speech by Mr Jean Pierre Loubinoux, UIC General Director. This was followed by the first point of the agenda, the discussion about the budget of the different projects and working groups.

A report of the current activities of the Commercial Group and another one of the activities of the Technical Group were given by their presidents, Mr Querée and Mr Hilario.

There was also a report of the auditing activities and the first steps of the PATRIC Steering Board, given by the president of the group, Ms Dambuyant.

The new phase of the URT (Universal Railway Ticket) project and the new developments of the PRM ABT (PRM Assistance Booking Tool) were approved. The current status of the MERITS/ PRIFIS activity was discussed as well.

Ms Roberta Rizzo (Trenitalia) was elected as the new vice president of the Forum, as this position remained vacant. Following the new regulation of the Forum that Mr Fenkes proposed, Mr Hans Cieters (NMBS/SNCB), Mr Nick Bamford (ATOC), Mr Bjarne Lindberg Bak (DSB) and Ms Begoña Delicado (SNCF) were elected members of the Forum’s Steering Committee.

The next Commercial and Distribution Forum will take place at UIC headquarters in Paris on 3 November 2015.