Before choosing a tool, it helps to be clear about what the eCMR is and where its validity comes from; if you're new to it, start with what the eCMR is. Here we take the ‘what’ for granted and go straight to the ‘how’.
What the Protocol requires for an eCMR to be valid
The Additional Protocol to the CMR Convention does not prescribe a particular technology, but it does require a result: the electronic consignment note must make it possible to identify the parties involved and guarantee the integrity of its data from the moment it is created. Any solution you use has to meet those two conditions; everything else (interface, app, integrations) is how it achieves them.
The electronic signature: the eIDAS Regulation
What makes the eCMR valid is the electronic signature. In the European Union, the reference standard is Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 (eIDAS) on electronic identification and trust services. It sets out several levels of signature; two matter for the eCMR:
- Advanced electronic signature (AdES): uniquely linked to the signatory and able to detect any subsequent change to the data. Enough to prove authorship and integrity.
- Qualified electronic signature (QES): the highest level, based on a qualified certificate. eIDAS gives it the same legal effect as a handwritten signature.
In practice: an advanced or qualified signature under eIDAS meets what the Protocol asks for. Steer clear of ‘signatures’ that are just an image or a tick box with no audit trail.
How to choose an eCMR platform
Whether it's a dedicated platform or an ERP/TMS with eCMR built in, these are the functions it must cover. Use this as a checklist when comparing providers.
| Function | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| eIDAS electronic signature (advanced or qualified) | It's what gives the eCMR legal validity and equivalence with paper |
| Integrity and sealing of the data | Ensures nobody can alter the consignment note without leaving a trace |
| Real-time sharing between the parties | Sender, carrier and consignee see the same document and sign at the right moment |
| Archiving and retention | Lets you retrieve the eCMR for an inspection or a claim |
| Integration API | Generates the eCMR from your ERP/TMS without typing the data twice |
| eFTI interoperability | Fits the European framework that obliges authorities to accept the electronic format |
eCMR and eFTI: the link worth checking
The eCMR is the document; eFTI is the framework that guarantees its acceptance. Regulation (EU) 2020/1056 obliges Member State authorities to accept regulatory transport information in electronic form when it is made available through a certified eFTI platform. It does not oblige companies, but it sets the direction. Choosing an eCMR solution that is interoperable with that framework saves you redoing the work later. We go into detail in our article on the eFTI Regulation.
Steps to get started
- Map your international routes. The eCMR applies to international transport; identify which shipments and which countries are involved (and check that those countries have ratified the e-CMR Protocol).
- Choose the solution. A dedicated platform or an ERP/TMS with built-in eCMR, checked against the list above (eIDAS signature, integrity, real time, archiving, API, eFTI).
- Integrate it with your ERP/TMS. The eCMR should be created from the order, not from a separate form, so you don't duplicate data or errors.
- Bring shippers and consignees on board. Several parties sign the eCMR; onboarding your customers and unloading points is what most determines success. Start with your regular ones.
- Train your drivers. Signing in the app and capturing photos and incidents have to be effortless at the loading bay.
- Start with a pilot. One customer or one specific corridor: measure, adjust and then roll out to the rest.
Official sources
- Additional Protocol to the Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road (CMR) concerning the Electronic Consignment Note (Geneva, 20 February 2008) — Spain's Instrument of Accession (BOE-A-2011-10283). boe.es
- Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 of 23 July 2014 on electronic identification and trust services for electronic transactions in the internal market (eIDAS). eur-lex.europa.eu
- Regulation (EU) 2020/1056 of 15 July 2020 on electronic freight transport information (eFTI). eur-lex.europa.eu · boe.es