Germany goes paperless with e-CMR

Germany has confirmed its commitment to fully paperless goods transport by acceding to the e-CMR protocol.  

In place since 2011, the digital version of the United Nations Convention for the carriage of goods (CMR) has been ratified by 31 countries so far. Germany joining, the most important transit country in the European Union, is a major step forward for further digitalisation of goods transport, which remains a key priority for IRU and its members.

Following a decision by the German Parliament in 2021, the German government deposited last week the related notification at the UN in New York. 

The e-CMR standard will enable the country’s logistics sector to provide even more efficient services for their clients, both domestically and internationally.

By eliminating paperwork, solutions based on the e-CMR protocol lower handling costs, eliminate administrative and invoicing delays, and reduce discrepancies at delivery sites. The digital standard also boosts transparency and security across the entire logistics chain, providing improved data accuracy to trace shipments with real-time access to pick-up and delivery information.