The UIC workgroup “Questions of palletisation” (UIC-AG), responsible for load carriers within the International Union of Railways (UIC), discontinued its long-standing working relationship with the European Pallet Association (EPAL) on 31 December and also revoked EPAL’s status as an approved pallet organisation. At the same time, the UIC-AG approved the two German companies SGS Germany and epm Paletten-Management-Kooperation on 1 January as alternative pallet organisations for the purposes of the UIC.
According to a statement made by the UIC-AG chairman, Thomas Metlich, to EPAL’s board of directors, no contracts have been concluded with SGS or EPM yet. As such, simply being designated a pallet organisation in accordance with the UIC codex does not entail any contractual obligations. In addition to this, Metlich told EPAL, the two companies do not yet fulfil the conditions the UIC requires of a pallet organisation. The reasons why the UIC-AG has decided on the approval nonetheless is still unclear, says EPAL. The UIC or the UIC-AG declined to comment on the matter. As soon as the circumstances have been clarified, EPAL will decide whether or not legal action is possible or worthwhile.
