UIC is the worldwide organization for railway cooperation. It is active in all the fields involved in developing rail transport.

The International Union of Railways (UIC), was founded 1922 after two intergovernmental conferences with the aim of creating uniform conditions for the establishment and operation of railways. The primary role of UIC as the worldwide railway organization is to promote all forms of international cooperation between its 162 members from all 5 continents and to carry out activities to develop international transport by rail. The UIC maintains and develops the overall coherence of the railway system and enhances international interoperability of railway equipments in order to improve the rail competitiveness. To achieve these goals, it prepares international specifications and standards and strives to encourage state-of-the-art technology and new management methods among its members. The UIC represents the rail transport sector vis a vis a large number of international political and economic organizations and has the consultative status at the UN.