Spotlight on digital logistics at UN working session

Part of the shared drive to digitalise logistics – and following the recent IRU/United Nations Economic Commission for Europe agreement on TIR’s digital capabilities – the first ever workshop on the use of the electronic consignment note (e-CMR) takes place at the Palais des Nations in Geneva today.

With the emphasis on the practical application of e-CMR, standardisation and the prospect of further pilots, the two organisations are jointly hosting the seminar as part of the Working Party on Road Transport, highlighting the current status of e-CMR implementation and its continuing geographical expansion.

Jens Hügel, IRU Head of Goods Transport & Sustainable Development, said, “The message to go digital has never been clearer. The benefits of real-time data exchange, compliance and efficiency gains speak for themselves – and we are pleased to be joining forces with UNECE to encourage further countries to accede to the e-CMR protocol.”

Rules for transporting goods internationally are covered by the United Nations Convention for the carriage of goods, the CMR (Convention relative au contrat de transport international de Marchandises par Route). In February 2008, a protocol was added to the CMR Convention concerning the use of the electronic consignment note. This protocol entered into force on 5 June 2011, and to date twelve countries have acceded including: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland.