In December of 2019, Great Britain validated the e-CMR protocol in an effort to alleviate the impacts of Brexit on the road transport of goods. The agreement would enable domestic and international goods movement within and outside of the UK using digital shipping documents.
The e-CMR Protocol Adoption
Relevant parties cheered the adoption of the electronic document. This ratification was thanks to joint support activities between the British Ministry of Transport, the International Road Transport Union (IRU), the Freight Transport Association, and the Road Haulage Association.
This is a crucial moment for the UK, with Brexit and its potential barriers to the movement of goods. Implementing e-CMR was a necessary step in ensuring that the road transport sector didn’t face much disruption and could continue serving businesses and communities.
Advantages of e-CMR
E-CMR brings many benefits to carriers and shippers. The electronic version of the document allows the smooth flow of logistics information, all the while ensuring that no party is kept in the dark at any step of the process. This gives all sides real-time insight into shipments.
The digital CMR note also lends efficiency to invoicing, delivery, and complaint procedures, alleviating the burden of administration. Being paperless, the shipping process now happens at a much lower cost and with minimized errors. Missing documents are now a thing of the past.
Another notable advantage of e-CMR is the reduction of wait time for payments. Thanks to the digital waybill, carriers are able to issue a bill right after the completion of transport.
Digitalization – The Way Forward
The CMR note has come a long way since the convention’s establishment in 1956. Road transport across Europe is the way the continent connects. With e-CMR, language barriers no longer exist, giving carriers the chance to focus on delivering outstanding service each time.
