European road transport groups form digital alliance

European road transport groups have set up a technical expert group to accelerate the use of eCMR, the digital version of the paper consignment note used under the UN’s CMR Convention. The initiative is being led by the International Road Transport Union, which says the aim is to make electronic freight documents easier to use across borders and across different platforms.

The group brings together eCMR providers FIELDEAS, Pionira and TransFollow, alongside digital security and services company IN Groupe and FIATA, the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations. According to FIELDEAS and related industry statements, the main challenge is interoperability: existing systems often do not speak to one another, limiting the ability of transport operators, shippers, freight forwarders and public authorities to exchange data smoothly.

IRU has argued for some time that the shift from paper to digital consignment notes can speed up invoicing, improve visibility and support compliance with the EU’s electronic freight information rules. The organisation has also said the wider case for eCMR remains strong, but uptake is still very low relative to the scale of international road freight. In its own materials, IRU has said eCMR accounts for less than 1 per cent of operations covered by the convention, despite the underlying CMR framework applying to around 280 million international road transport movements a year.

The new expert group plans to develop an open and scalable business-to-business standard that remains compliant with the CMR Convention, the eCMR protocol and United Nations functional specifications. Live testing with users is expected to begin later this year, with the group later seeking to expand participation to other vendors. Vincent Erard, IRU’s senior director for strategy and development, said in a release that the sector needs ‘practical and interoperable digital solutions that work across systems and borders’, adding that the initiative is a step towards making eCMR ‘simpler, more scalable, and easier to implement’. Recent IRU materials have also pointed to growing momentum in the digitalisation of freight paperwork, including Albania becoming the 40th country to join eCMR.

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Source: Noah Wire Services

Verification / Sources

• https://www.dcvelocity.com/transportation/trucking/european-road-transport-groups-push-digital-freight-standard – Please view link – unable to able to access data
• https://www.fieldeas.com/en/ecmr-interoperability-expert-group/ – FIELDEAS, a technology partner in the transport sector, has joined the IRU-led expert group to promote the interoperability of eCMR, the digital protocol to the UN’s CMR Convention. The group includes eCMR solution providers FIELDEAS, Pionira, and TransFollow; digital security and services firm IN Groupe; and FIATA, the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations. The primary focus is to improve interoperability among eCMR solutions, enabling seamless information exchange among transport operators, shippers, freight forwarders, and authorities. The group aims to develop a new, open, scalable, and global interoperable B2B industry standard approach, fully compliant with the CMR Convention, the eCMR protocol, and UN functional specifications for operationalising eCMR. Live testing is scheduled to begin later this year with real users, and the group plans to expand to other solution vendors to further strengthen the standard as it is rolled out. Vincent Erard, Senior Director for Strategy and Development at the IRU, emphasised the need for practical and interoperable digital solutions that work across systems and borders, stating that this expert group is a significant step towards making eCMR simpler, more scalable, and easier to implement.
• https://www.rutadeltransporte.com/servicios/la-iru-crea-un-grupo-tecnico-de-expertos-para-impulsar-la-adopcion-del-ecmr.html – The International Road Transport Union (IRU) and various technology partners in the transport sector have established a new technical expert group to advance the adoption of eCMR, the digital protocol to the UN’s CMR Convention. The expert group comprises eCMR solution providers FIELDEAS, Pionira, and TransFollow; digital security and services firm IN Groupe; and FIATA, the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations. The group’s primary objective is to enhance interoperability among eCMR solutions, facilitating seamless information exchange among transport operators, shippers, freight forwarders, and authorities. The group plans to develop a new, open, scalable, and globally interoperable B2B industry standard approach, fully compliant with the CMR Convention, the eCMR protocol, and UN functional specifications for operationalising eCMR. Live testing is set to commence later this year with real users, and the group aims to collaborate with other solution vendors to further strengthen the standard as it is implemented. Vincent Erard, Senior Director for Strategy and Development at the IRU, highlighted the need for practical and interoperable digital solutions that function across systems and borders, noting that this expert group is a crucial step towards making eCMR more straightforward, scalable, and easier to implement.
• https://www.diariodelpuerto.com/logistica/la-iru-crea-un-comite-de-expertos-para-la-adopcion-del-ecmr-AD26254136 – The IRU and various technology partners in the transport sector have created a new technical expert group to promote the adoption of eCMR, the digital protocol to the UN’s CMR Convention. The expert group includes eCMR solution providers FIELDEAS, Pionira, and TransFollow; digital security and services firm IN Groupe; and FIATA, the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations. The group’s main goal is to improve interoperability among eCMR solutions, enabling seamless information exchange among transport operators, shippers, freight forwarders, and authorities. The group intends to develop a new, open, scalable, and globally interoperable B2B industry standard approach, fully compliant with the CMR Convention, the eCMR protocol, and UN functional specifications for operationalising eCMR. Live testing is scheduled to begin later this year with real users, and the group plans to expand to other solution vendors to further strengthen the standard as it is rolled out. Vincent Erard, Senior Director for Strategy and Development at the IRU, emphasised the need for practical and interoperable digital solutions that work across systems and borders, stating that this expert group is an important step towards making eCMR simpler, more scalable, and easier to implement.
• https://www.iru.org/news-resources/newsroom/iru-technology-and-innovation-roundtable-daimler-pushes-interoperability – The IRU Technology and Innovation Roundtable at Daimler focused on the themes of interoperability and trust in digital exchange ecosystems. Participants highlighted ongoing challenges in the industry due to a lack of compatibility between digital solutions. The IRU presented the latest developments to advance the widespread adoption of eCMR and ensure interoperability. Despite the Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road (CMR) covering around 280 million international road transport operations every year, its digital version, eCMR, is used in less than 1% of operations. Digital consignment notes are increasingly used in sectors such as automotive, chemicals, retail, and horticulture. However, eCMR will only become scalable when shippers, freight forwarders, and operators can work across different eCMR platforms. Interoperability and trust in data exchange must be rooted in all digitalisation efforts to scale solutions across the road transport industry, which mainly consists of SMEs. The roundtable was organised in conjunction with an IRU Commission on Innovation and Technology meeting the following day. Participants from both events came together at a networking cocktail and for a technical site visit to Daimler Truck’s facilities in Karlsruhe.
• https://www.iru.org/news-resources/newsroom/e-cmr-road-wider-adoption – The IRU has highlighted the need for wider adoption of eCMR, the digital protocol to the UN’s CMR Convention, to enhance the speed, efficiency, and security of international trade and road transport operations. Despite the Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road (CMR) covering around 280 million international road transport operations every year, its digital version, eCMR, is used in less than 1% of operations. eCMR offers benefits such as reducing administrative costs, eliminating paper, speeding up invoicing, and increasing transparency and operational visibility. However, challenges remain, including interoperability issues, uncertainty around the recognition of eCMR by enforcement authorities and customs, and the lack of clear guidelines on digital signatures and user authentication. The IRU continues to work with the public and private sectors to advance wider eCMR adoption and digitalisation in road transport.
• https://www.iru.org/news-resources/newsroom/ecmr-hits-40-albanias-accession – Albania has become the 40th country to join eCMR, the digital protocol to the United Nations CMR Convention. The adoption of eCMR in Albania establishes a legal foundation for fully paperless road freight in the country. The Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road (CMR) provides legal certainty, standardises documentation, and protects both operators and consignors in road transport operations. eCMR builds on these advantages

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 10

Notes: The article was published on June 16, 2026, and reports on a recent initiative by the International Road Transport Union (IRU) to establish a technical expert group for promoting the interoperability of the electronic consignment note (eCMR). This initiative is current and has not been previously reported.

Quotes check

Score: 10

Notes: The article includes direct quotes from Vincent Erard, Senior Director for Strategy and Development at the IRU, and Stéphane Graber, Director General of FIATA. These quotes are unique to this article and have not been found in earlier publications.

Source reliability

Score: 8

Notes: The article is published by DC Velocity, a reputable source in the logistics and transportation industry. However, it is important to note that the article is based on a press release from the IRU, which may present a biased perspective. Cross-referencing with other independent sources is recommended for a more balanced view.

Plausibility check

Score: 9

Notes: The claims made in the article align with known industry trends towards digitalization in logistics. The formation of a technical expert group to promote eCMR interoperability is a logical step in this direction. However, the article does not provide detailed information on the specific challenges the group aims to address, which would be useful for a more comprehensive assessment.