Moving to paperless freight transport sounds easy — it sounds like the modern age. Just replace the paper trail with an electronic version. Everyone has access to mobile apps; nearly everyone in Europe owns a smartphone. How difficult can it be? But first, let’s establish the framework — the key dates for the Finished Vehicle Logistics (FVL) industry: 1 January 2026: This is when Member States must begin accepting data from certified electronic freight transport information (eFTI) platforms. For the FVL industry, this means that traditional paper documentation for the carriage of goods — whether by road, rail, or inland waterways — can be replaced by electronic versions. In road transport, this refers to the electronic contract of carriage (eCMR); for rail, it's the eCOTIF (eCIM), and for inland waterways, the eCMNI. (....)