Digitalizing transport documents - a Paperless Supply Chain

Time and place:

BRUSSELS, 8 December 2015 – At the ninth event of the European Logistics Platform (ELP), 40 EU policymakers and industry stakeholders came together to discuss the digitalisation of transport documents and how to move to a paperless end-to-end supply chain. The event was hosted by Gesine Meissner MEP, member of the TRAN committee and the ELP Advisory Board. She underlined the importance of the smooth flow of information in the logistics supply chain: “Member States must finally recognize and accept electronic transport documents. This is a great opportunity for all actors in the supply chain as well as public authorities: Digitalization will lead to a more competitive and resource-efficient transport system and decrease the administrative burden and the costs at the same time.”

The discussion focused on how to enhance and promote the digital process of transport documents that show great potential for the transport and logistics sector. One main challenge is that many Member States have not yet ratified the e-CMR – the convention establishing a digital transport document as a legal basis for transport.

Michael Bünning, Managing Director of BLG Automobile Logistics (representing ECG, the Association of European Vehicle Logistics), called for a quick solution to get all Member States to ratify the e-CMR Protocol so transport operators can finally use the e-CMR consignment note which is currently only accepted by eight Member States plus Switzerland.

Libor Lochman, Executive Director of CER (Community of European Railways), highlighted the importance of recognizing electronic transport documents by commercial partners like banks and insurances. Astrid Schlewing, Head of Sector of the Unit Maritime Transport and Logistics, pointed out the significant work of the Digital Transport and Logistics Forum which was recently established to tackle these issues by identifying the tools to overcome the barriers and defining concrete actions to facilitate the recognition of electronic transport documents.

In conclusion, Søren Larsen, Vice-Chairman of the European Logistics Platform said: “Europe must move faster to a paperless supply chain environment for international and national transport. Therefore, all parties involved, including the Member States, need to work together and ensure the end-to-end data flow in a safe, reliable and efficient manner.”

The European Logistics Platform consists of more than twenty-five industry stakeholders representing a wide variety of actors involved in logistics and supply chains across Europe. Current members are ABP, ACEA, BDL, CER, CLECAT, Deutsche Bahn, Deutsche Post DHL Group, duisport, ECG, EIM, ESC, ECSLA, ERFA, FERRMED, FTA, Goodyear Dunlop Tires Europe B.V., HERE - a Nokia business, Hutchison Whampoa, IRU, Michelin, Nordic Logistics Association, P&G, RFG, SAP, TLN, Volvo Group.

For more information: www.europeanlogisticsplatform.eu