OREANDA-NEWS. October 25, 2016. France becomes the tenth European country to accede to e-CMR – paving the way for easier and more efficient shipment of goods, facilitating trade and preparing for fully digital road transport operations.

Umberto de Pretto, IRU Secretary General said, “IRU welcomes the news that France has acceded to the e-CMR protocol, and calls upon those governments who have not yet done so, to consider a move to electronic CMR, as it brings distinct advantages. The application of the protocol and use of electronic consignment notes is faster, more efficient and more competitive than the current paper-based Convention.”

IRU member association FNTR (Federation Nationales des Transports Routiers) strongly supports this move to go digital.

Florence Berthelot of FNTR said “Transport operators will now be able to electronically record, store and exchange CMR data with their commercial partners. This will significantly improve document management by reducing the potential for human error, while increasing the efficiency of road transport operations.”

Rules for transporting goods internationally are covered by the United Nations Convention for the carriage of goods, the CMR (Convention relative au contrat de transport international de Marchandises par Route). Transport operators, drivers and those receiving shipments use a CMR consignment note, which contains information about the shipped goods and the transporting and receiving parties. Until recently, CMR notes were only issued in paper form.

In February 2008, a protocol was added to the CMR Convention concerning the use of the electronic consignment note. This protocol entered into force on 5 June 2011, and to date ten countries have acceded to it. These include Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania, France, Netherlands, Slovakia, Spain and Switzerland.