Features
27 nov 18

e-CMR “enforced by 2020”

“Transport and logistics across borders is a pain. We want to transform that pain into success”, said Arnaud Cauchy at the Fleet Europe Remarketing Forum. Key to his presentation: e-CMR. 

That acronym stands for an electronic document that delivers proof of loading, geotracking and proof of delivery, eliminating a lot of paperwork and uncertainty. 

Two problems
Two problems: “Firstly, a geographic one. Germany doesn’t recognise e-CMR”, said Cauchy (pictured right), Business Line Director at GEFCO S.A. In all, 11 EU countries have ratified it, four further EU countries are using it but haven’t yet ratified it, and two non-EU states are also accepting it. 

“The other bottleneck is to do with the fact that the whole process of documenting the entire logistical chain is currently being studied at the request of the EU. And this includes the parts covered by e-CMR”.

Thinking ahead
Mr Cauchy is confident, however, that the EU will eventually enforce its member states to accept it. Estimated date: 2020. And that will significantly simplify cross-border transport of goods. 

GEFCO is thinking ahead and has already integrated e-CMR in its logistical system. The France-based company, which transported 4 million new vehicles last year, is moving into the used-vehicle business. 

Minimum volume
A crucial difference between both: the problem of first-mile and last-mile transport in the case of used vehicles. GEFCO is putting collaborations and systems in place to overcome these hurdles, ensuring not just door-to-door delivery, but also one-to-many: “We offer single-car to mass-volume solutions”, says Nicolas Saal (pictured left), Market Line Manager at GEFCO. “There is no minimum volume”. 

GEFCO’s solution is rail-based, connecting the traditional supplier markets of Western Europe with the traditional buyer markets in the East. “We’re even using hydraulic, double-decker wagons, designed specially to accommodate SUVs, also increasingly popular on the second-hand market”.

Authored by: Frank Jacobs