An interest group representing the railway industry

The Rail Working Group (RWG) is a not-for-profit rail industry association, based in Switzerland. It was established at the request of UNIDROIT (the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law) to represent the position of the rail industry relating to adoption and implementation of the 2007 Luxembourg Protocol to the Cape Town Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment on matters relating to railway rolling stock (the Luxembourg Rail Protocol).

Our key task is to ensure that the Luxembourg Rail Protocol is brought into force in as many countries as possible as quickly as possible but ensuring that the operation of the Protocol does not lose touch with the commercial realities of the rail industry.

The RWG had observer status at both the Cape Town Diplomatic Conference adopting the Convention in October and November 2001, and at the Luxembourg Diplomatic Conference of February 2007 which adopted the Luxembourg Rail Protocol and it was involved in the drafting of both instruments. It is a member of the Preparatory Commission established by the Luxembourg Diplomatic Conference preparing the way for implementation of the Protocol and is represented on its Ratifications Task Force.

Today, the RWG has a growing worldwide membership of key rail stakeholders, including a number of rail and transport associations, and operates a large number of country contact groups working closely with governments on adoption of the Protocol. It regularly participates in rail conferences, runs industry seminars and issues briefing papers, a newsletter and articles on the Protocol.