IRU members in Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Romania and Serbia will start testing electronic consignment notes (e-CMR) on cross-border transport as part of a European Commission (EC) funded project. 
 

IRU facilitated the involvement of its members in those countries and of the Greek Ministry of Transport into the AEOLIX project (Architecture for EurOpean Logistics Information eXchange) – which includes e-CMR as one of its digital offerings. 
 
The goal is to streamline logistics operations by developing a cloud-based IT platform for supply chain actors to exchange data and services.  
 
Iraklis Stamos, leading IRU’s work on AEOLIX, said, “e-CMR is the first step towards fully digital transport operations with clear benefits for the transport industry: lower costs and greater transparency. e-CMR must become a standard practice to make logistics more efficient and the AEOLIX project is a key contributor to achieving this goal.”
 
By using e-CMR for the trial, the transport operators across the five countries will be able to input electronically, store logistics information and exchange data, in real time via a mobile phone or tablet. 
 
The timely recording of data means that agencies instantly receive information on the goods being transported. Hence, any required subsequent actions, happen faster and at less cost. 
 
With the support of EC funding, the IRU members, BGL, Cesmad Bohemia, OFAE, Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and UNTRR, together with the Greek Ministry of Transport, will set up a ‘living lab’ of e-CMR transport operations, which will run until August 2019. 
 
The piloting of cross-border e-CMR is in line with the European Commission’s vision of the future of logistics with the recently published third Mobility Package including a legislative proposal on e-documents for transport.
 
Mr Stamos continued, “IRU is very glad to be able to involve its members in this innovative project and work together towards a digital and more efficient future for mobility.”