Benelux to benefit from e-CMR

A three-year e-CMR pilot project has been launched in the Benelux to put the system to the test, with the Netherlands alone projecting savings of EUR180 million in administrative costs and 15,000 pallets of paper annually (enough to fill 600 trucks).

IRU’s Dutch member, TLN, has been working for several years on the uptake of e-CMR, highlighting the administrative savings that e-CMR can sustain. This is part of TLN’s wider "paperless transport" strategy to migrate logistics from paper to digital.

While Belgium and Luxembourg have not yet acceded to the e-CMR protocol, the pilot project, involving the three Benelux countries, will pave the way for accession.

The Benelux trial is also seen as a step towards wider European use. The pilot project will enable the Benelux countries to gain experience of e-CMR cross border operations, testing day-to-day procedures and practical use while also assessing the legal infrastructure required for application.  

A significant increase in the use of e-CMR and further improvements in efficiency in transport are anticipated. e-CMR is already operational in Denmark, France and Spain, and is piloted in Greece. Additional countries are expected to follow shortly, making it possible to use e-CMR across Europe and beyond.

As from the 1st of March 2018, logistics providers in the Benelux region will start to use e-CMR. The pilot will be evaluated in early 2021. TLN, evofenedex and the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure, Public Works and Water Management are hoping for a positive evaluation, to ensure further efficiency gains in the Benelux logistics sector.