International Union of Railways (UIC) – The Worldwide Railway Organisation

The International Union of Railways (UIC), is the worldwide professional association representing the railway sector and promoting rail transport.

UIC leads an innovative and dynamic sector, helping Members find continuing success and opportunities. Members are invited to take a proactive role in the UIC working groups and assemblies where the railways’ position on regional/worldwide issues is shaped. Active participation in the working groups is a unique opportunity to voice opinions and benefit from the weight of the railway sector at a coordinated worldwide level.

UIC is the association for technical cooperation amongst railways, and coordinates the sector’s position as it negotiates its evolving relationship with the supply industry and research and develops needs in order to draw full advantage of potential interest to railway companies. Members are regularly informed of key developments on the dossiers UIC deals with and which impact on their activities. This allows Members to anticipate regulatory and technical changes and integrate them effectively and more smoothly into their own business operational processes.

Overall objectives for UIC

To enable UIC to effectively fulfil its mission, 3 levels have been defined for international cooperation activities:

• Strategic level: coordination with and bet­ween the 6 UIC Regions created as part of the new Governance (activities steered by the UIC Regional Assemblies for Africa, Asia, North America, South America, Europe and Middle-East).
• Technical/professional cooperation level (structured around the following railway activities): Passenger, Freight, Rail System – including infrastructure, rolling stock, opera­tions – and Fundamental Values including cross-sector activities such as Sustainable Development, Research Coordination, Safety, Security, Expertise Development). Strategic priorities for technical cooperation activities are set out by forums and platforms composed of member representatives.
• Support services level: (Finance, Human Resources, Legal, Communications and Institutional Relations).