The first International Convention concerning the
Carriage of Goods by Rail dates back to the year 1890.
This Convention created an Administrative Union
according to the international law rules of that time. The
Intergovernmental Organisation for International
Carriage by Rail (OTIF) was set up (the abbreviations
are derived from the original French version of the titles)
with the entry into force, on 1 May 1985, of the
Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail of
9 May 1980 (COTIF).