The e-CMR protocol will now be used in Germany
The German government has approved a new e-CMR protocol, which is part of the law governing the use of electronic consignment notes. This mechanism was first adopted in 2008, and it complements the 1956 agreement, which contained rules for the international carriage of goods by road or CMR. The e-CMR protocol allows the creation and use of electronic documentation that was previously in paper format.
Electronic waybill greatly simplifies the processes of registration of cargo movement, permits for transportation and other important operations. Digital workflow saves money, time and eliminates the need to use paper, which is not a reliable material.
The e-CMR protocol aims to reduce red tape and increase transparency in the logistics segment.
Thanks to the introduction of digital systems, operators and customers can track the movement of goods in real time and receive information when the status of a parcel changes. All documents are stored in a single database, to which authorized persons have access.
The German government is confident that the e-CMR format will soon replace all paper documents in the country. If necessary, the driver presents an electronic version of the permit or waybill through a special application on the gadget. The control services are obliged to accept such a document.
The German authorities are planning to develop their own platform, and specialists from the University of Dortmund have been entrusted with its creation. An important advantage of the application will be the ability to use it to develop individual business models for each company according to its needs. The program will use the same standard for all users.
Besides Germany, the e-CMR protocol was ratified in 27 countries, of which only 2 states do not belong to the European Union. Ukraine approved the use of e-CMR for the logistics sector in 2020. For it, the use of a digital standard is an important step for the development of the international transport market, especially given the strategic location of the country.
Electronic document management removes a number of constraints for the logistics industry, which is extremely important in view of the recent disruption of supply chains. Companies will be able to reduce transportation costs, which is crucial in view of the losses they have incurred. In addition, the use of e-CMR meets current global needs – it reduces the amount of physical contact that cannot be avoided with paper documents.
The first state to adopt the e-CMR protocol was Norway. Like Ukraine, it is not part of the European Union, but considers ratification an important step to improve logistics processes in the global market.
