L 293/26 Official Journal of the European Union 9.10.2014 DECISIONS COUNCIL DECISION of 24 June 2014 establishing the position to be adopted on behalf of the European Union at the 25th session of the OTIF Revision Committee as regards certain amendments to the Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF) and to the Appendices thereto (2014/699/EU) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 91 in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, Whereas: (1) The Union has acceded to the Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail of 9 May 1980 as amended by the Vilnius Protocol of 3 June 1999 (the ‘COTIF Convention’) in accordance with Council Decision 2013/103[EU (). (2)  All Member States, with the exception of Cyprus and Malta, apply the COTIF Convention. (3)  The Revision Committee set up in accordance with point (c) of Article 13(1) of the COTIF Convention, at its 25th session due to take place from 25 to 27 June 2014, is expected to decide upon certain amendments to the COTIF Convention as well as to certain Appendices thereto, namely Appendices B (Uniform Rules concerning the Contract of International Carriage of Goods by Rail — CIM), D (Uniform Rules concerning Contracts of Use of Vehicles in International Rail Traffic — CUV), E (Uniform Rules concerning the Contract of Use of Infrastructure in International Rail Traffic — CUI), F (Uniform Rules concerning the Validation of Technical Standards and the Adoption of Uniform Technical Prescriptions applicable to Railway Material intended to be used in International Traffic — APTU) and G (Uniform Rules concerning the Technical Admission of Railway Material used in Interna- tional Traffic — ATMEF). (4)  The amendments to the COTIF Convention have the objective of updating the tasks of the Committee of Tech- nical Experts and the definition of keeper’ in line with Union law; and of modifying certain rules concerning the financing of the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF), its auditing and reporting as well as minor administrative changes. (5)  The amendments to Appendix B (CIM) aim to give preference to the electronic form of the consignment note and its accompanying documents and to clarify certain provisions of the contract of carriage. (6)  The amendments to Appendix D (CUV) presented by the Secretary-General of OTIF have the objective of clari- fying the roles of the keeper and the entity in charge of maintenance in the contracts of use of vehicles in interna- tional rail traffic. France has presented a separate proposal concerning the liability for damage caused by a vehicle. Germany has also presented a separate proposal concerning the scope of the CUV Uniform rules. (") Council Decision 2013/103/EU of 16 June 2011 on the signing and conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail on the Accession of the European Union to the Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF) of 9 May 1980, as amended by the Vilnius Protocol of 3 June 1999 (OJ L 51, 23.2.2013,p. 1).