Dangerous Goods

Expert Group on Transport of Dangerous Goods: a UIC Freight Forum Working Group

Carriage of dangerous goods requires strict compliance to general railway safety legislative and rules and in addition compliance to legislation specific for TDG. As a railway company you may achieve this compliance by applying UIC International Railway Solutions 40471-3 (see UIC shop). You can co-create the development of this RID-compliant IRS and contribute to TDG-law development by partaking in this Working Group. We monitor the latest developments in TDG-legislation and advocate the railway position in it, we share best-practices and maintain the applicable railway solutions and guidelines. Take advantage of joining us and:

• Ensure your operations are compliant with the RID regulation

• Play a part in the latest TDG legislation developments

• Streamline safe dangerous goods carriage and be prepared for any en-route or marshalling yard emergencies

For conditions for joining, please contact UIC: Joost Overdijkink.

Free publications related to current RID edition:

RID 2025 corrigendum NHM

Rectification of NHM codes in the paper edition of RID 2025

Berichtigung der NHM-Codes in der Papierausgabe des RID 2025

Rectification de codes NHM dans l’édition papier du RID 2025

Carrier’s obligations prior to accepting goods for carriage

These obligations are defined in the RID, paragraph 1.4.2.2.1. The provisions of this paragraph are considered to be met if UIC IRS 40471-3 (Leaflet 471-3), point 5 (Inspections of dangerous goods consignments) is applied. Extract of IRS 40471-3:

40471-3 point 5 [en]

40471-3 point 5 [fr]

40471-3 Punkt 5 [de]

International and national Dangerous Goods transport law

The transport of dangerous goods (TDG) is strictly regulated through international law, based on the UN Model Regulations and dangerous goods classification (UN Model Regulations). For inland transport in Europe (in the largest sense of the name) this is regulated for rail via the RID (OTIF) (Appendix C of the COTIF-treaty), and the treaties ADR (UNECE) for road and ADN (UNECE) for inland waterways. The COTIF / RID are managed by OTIF, in Berne, while ADR and ADN are managed by the UNECE in Geneva. These treaties apply to international dangerous goods traffic

Within the EU and associated countries, these rules apply also to purely national transport, as the EU transposes them directly and without changes via Directive 2008/68/EC. 

From the UN-level down to the UNECE and OTIF and the EU, TDG law is subject to a biennial change cycle via a well organised, transparent process. This change cycle is done in mode-specific meetings (for rail in the OTIF Committee of Experts) while harmonisation is maintained in a Joint Meeting between RID, ADR and ADN experts from the signatory states and relevant industries.

UIC in international dangerous goods transport law

As an accredited NGO at the UN, UIC is the sole NGO representing the railways (Infrastructure Managers, Railway Undertakings and integrated systems) at OTIF, UNECE and the UN and represents the sector at EU meetings on TDG law. UIC makes sure that this highly specialised, highly technical transport law is kept up to date to the needs of the railway sector: keeping it safe and economically viable. To that end, we closely follow the development of new legislation, technical, operational and safety requirements and we make sure that the sector is represented at all relevant instances.

UIC input comes in the form of our own proposals and as reactions to other parties’ proposals. This input is based on in-house expertise and the expertise of the members of the UIC TDG Expert Group, which is a UIC Freight Forum Working Group . We also regularly advance the sector’s needs by constructively working with associations of other industries and with the signatory states of OTIF / UNECE.

UIC organisation

The work is organised and led by the Board, made up of a Chairperson and one or more Vice-Chairs from a UIC member of the group and the UIC Chargé de Mission. Current Board: Mr Roland Meister (SBB AG), Vice-Chair (vacant), Joost Overdijkink (UIC).

The UIC Group of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (TDG) can count on high-level experts from over 40 companies and international organisations ( OTIF, CIT) and UIP. The group meets in plenary twice a year, and on ad-hoc working group basis whenever necessary.

We provide expert advice and ensure the coordination with the other UIC working bodies. In addition, UIC provides the services of secretariat, translation, and interpretation.

IRS 40471-3

This group manages the IRS 40471-3 (see UIC shop), with which RUs ensure the quality of consignments of dangerous goods -checks to be made by the RUs before acceptance). The IRS is referenced in the RID as a means of compliance with the regulations. The IRS also prescribes a QMS for quality checks of Dangerous Goods consignments, which is also of interest to Infrastructure Managers. 

IRS 20201

The group is also responsible for IRS 20201 (see UIC shop), which is a detailed emergency planning guidance for rail marshalling yards in relation to the carriage of dangerous goods. This IRS is also referenced in the RID, constituting presumption of compliance with the regulations if this IRS is implemented.

Links with other UIC expertise and standards

The RID Group of Experts has responsibility of an additional number of topics of strategic importance, such as security, emergency plans for marshalling yards, SQAS, telematics applications for dangerous goods, and risk assessment.

These topics are taken care of in relation to the evolution of the RID regulations with the objective that this takes place under acceptable technical and economic conditions.

UIC TDG participates in the Safety System Management Group (SSMG) of CER-UIC according to topicality, and ensures coordination with other UIC internal commissions, such as Standardization, Operation, Loading rules, NHM codification, Combined Transport, and the European DAC Delivery Program.

UIC Contact

For any further information please contact: Joost Overdijkink