The Luxembourg Rail Protocol set to enter into force on March 8, 2024

The Luxembourg Rail Protocol to the Cape Town Convention will enter into force in contracting states (Luxembourg, Sweden, Spain and Gabon, and possibly also South Africa and Paraguay), on March 8, 2024.

This date was announced on November 15 by the Ratification Task Force of the Preparatory Commission, the intergovernmental group mandated to pilot through the implementation of the Luxembourg Rail Protocol in collaboration with UNIDROIT and OTIF. The Rail Working Group, RWG, also participates in this group, and is actively involved in managing plans for the operation of the new international registry.

“We are very pleased, after many years of hard work with our friends and partners across the rail industry, to see a firm date set for the entry into force of the Rail Protocol,” said RWG Chairman Howard Rosen. “This excellent news is not, however, an invitation for us to rest. Indeed, technical work remains regarding the operation of the international registry. Equally significantly, considerable educational and advocacy work lies ahead for our team, as we encourage more and more nations to adopt this landmark treaty.”

The Rail Protocol has the full support of the African Union, the UN Economic Commission for Africa, and other multilateral institutions around the world, as well as many leading financial institutions, academics, law firms and rolling stock lessors.

Several African and European states are poised to adopt the Protocol soon, which will be bring material benefits to governments, creditors, lessors and operators across the world.