eCMR: driving the future of logistics

EDITEL presents FreightLogs as a pioneering solution for the digitization of the consignment note (eCMR). This innovation offers significant potential for the future of logistics by enabling secure and transparent processes that promote sustainability and reduce costs. 

A crumpled piece of paper, stained with coffee and often barely legible — this is, unfortunately, the reality of how the CMR consignment note frequently appears.   Despite being one of the most critical documents in road freight transport across borders, the CMR has remained stuck in the analog past. While logistics has rapidly embraced digital transformation, this essential document has quite literally been “left behind.” Incredibly, as of 2025, the CMR still circulates in paper form, becoming an increasingly outdated obstacle that hampers progress. The introduction of the eFTI Regulation at the EU level offers a long-overdue light at the end of the tunnel: eCMR, the digital alternative to the traditional consignment note, promises more efficient, transparent, and eco-friendly transport operations.

Higher data quality, lower resource use

The implementation of eCMR not only ensures faster processes in the logistics industry but also enhances data quality for customers, providing deeper transparency and additional integration possibilities. This includes transport management systems (TMS), customs, billing, transport damage settlement, and archiving. The eCMR is also a major step towards sustainability: the digitization of the consignment note (eCMR) could save around 400 million paper documents per year in the European Union alone, which is equivalent to around 166,000 trees. Resource consumption (paper, labor hours) is significantly reduced across the entire value chain. At the same time, data quality improves, forming the foundation for automated transport execution processes and further efficiency gains for all stakeholders involved.

Benefits across the board

Companies that use eCMR take their transport processes to the next level: thanks to end-to-end digital documentation, manual efforts for issuing and archiving CMRs become a thing of the past. High data quality and real-time availability prevent loss, theft or illegible scans, while all parties involved – from drivers to freight forwarders to shippers – have centralized access to up-to-date transport information at all times. Integration into existing IT environments requires only a few steps and onboarding new users involves minimal training. Manual work is kept to a minimum. 
Where eCMR truly excels is in automating downstream processes: customs preparation, freight cost calculations, and damage reports can be seamlessly integrated into the digital CMR platform. This leads to tangible cost savings and shorter processing times. eCMR thus becomes a key enabler for broader automation initiatives beyond the traditional CMR workflow. With the mandatory reporting of transport data to authorities set to begin in 2029 under the eFTI Regulation, another strategic driver is emerging, highlighting the urgent need for robust digital logistics solutions.
 

FreightLogs – the eCMR solution by EDITEL

FreightLogs originated from "Blockchain Initiative Logistics", a working group in which EDITEL explored the digitalization of consignment notes for several years. A strategic partnership with LKW WALTER resulted in the development of a new eCMR solution. It was created by EDITEL to provide maximum data integrity and security. As a member of the Open Logistics Foundation, EDITEL is also actively involved in industry standards and adapts to future developments, ensuring 100% eFTI compliance. "All in all, ideal conditions to expertly support and guide future eCMR adopters in implementing FreightLogs," says EDITEL CEO Gerd Marlovits.

Added value for customers and partners

FreightLogs is already successfully used by LKW WALTER, ensuring a fully automated eCMR process, ease of use and automatic archiving. It allowed the logistics provider to take a major step towards advanced digital logistics processes, establishing itself as an innovative pioneer in the industry. Michael Gschwandtner, Director Digital Business at LKW WALTER, comments on the results: "By fully integrating the eCMR solution operated by EDITEL into our processes, we are creating a highly scalable solution for our customers that can be deployed independently of specific freight forwarders across all overland transport. We ensure that the necessary data for process optimization is provided in high quality and in real-time, allowing our customers to utilize it for subsequent processes. In doing so, we continue to drive process automation forward and generate added value for our customers and partners." 

One step ahead with FreightLogs and eCMR:

• Efficient: saves time with automated processes and excellent data quality
• Sustainable: lower paper consumption protects resources
• Transparent: real-time data transmission for all participants in the value chain
• Cost-effective: reduces costs for paper, printing, storage, and postage