Subscribe

Day: 28 July 2025

eFTI Regulation Requires Teamwork

Posted on by David Priestman

The eFTI Regulation came into effect on August 2024, aiming to digitise and legally regulate the exchange of data for EU transport. Now is not the time for authorities and companies to act alone. Standardised open source solutions are the key to Europe’s eFTI future, writes Andreas Nettsträter (pictured, below), CEO of the Open Logistics Foundation, and co-author Raoul Wintjes, Head of International Road Freight Transport/Digitalisation at the German Freight Forwarding and Logistics Association (DSLV)

Freight transport in Europe is (still) a world of paper. This is because the exchange of data has hardly changed in recent decades: Transport information is primarily recorded and checked in paper form. In Germany, control tasks are shared between the Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility (BALM), the state police, and the customs authorities. A framework for the digital exchange of freight transport documents within and between the 27 member states has not yet been established.

In July 2020, the European Parliament and the Council of the EU adopted the so-called eFTI Regulation (EU) 2020/1056 on electronic freight transport information. The acronym eFTI stands for Electronic Freight Transport Information. The eFTI (enforcement) regulation came into effect on 21 August 2024.

The regulation creates the much-needed legal framework for the digital transmission of in-formation on the transport of goods by road, rail, air, and inland waterway within the EU, between economic operators and enforcement authorities. In short, eFTI brings legal certainty in the digital public space because each of the 27 EU countries can require different transport documents and proofs of transport. eFTI aims to digitise and standardise the chaos of documentation in cross-border transport within the EU.

Save euros

eFTI will bring significant benefits to both public authorities and logistics companies. According to estimates by the EU Commission, eFTI could save up to 27 billion euros in administrative costs in the transport sector alone over the next 20 years. Logistics companies will notice these savings, for example, during inspections of freight transport by the relevant authorities in the EU member states.

eFTI Regulation
Andreas Nettsträter , Open Logistics Foundation

Exchanging, checking, and verifying paper documents is extremely time-consuming in day-to-day business: checking a foreign truck, for example, can take 45 minutes or more. In the future, when all relevant transport data is available at the click of a mouse, inspections will only take a few minutes. The eFTI will also speed up the work of the police and fire brigade: if a lorry breaks down, for example, they will be able to retrieve all the data on the vehicle and its load digitally and immediately take the right measures.

Data exchange via eFTI platforms

This all sounds promising, but its effectiveness depends on a harmonised and trustworthy information and communication technology environment. Only then can transport data be exchanged securely and smoothly between authorities and logistics companies. Driven by the eFTI Enforcement Regulation, the EU member states are already working at full speed on the technical implementation. The focus here is on the architecture for data exchange.

In principle, companies should operate so-called ‘eFTI platforms’ in the future. These will store information relevant to the authorities. The authorities themselves will develop ‘eFTI gates’ that provide them access to the platforms. Each company’s platform will be connected to a specific gate through which communication with different authorities will take place. The transport information remains on the platform and may only be accessed by the authorities in clearly defined cases.

No company should pay extra

The new technical arrangements for eFTI certainly represent an intervention in the existing practices of logistics companies. Many of them – especially the larger ones – already have a functioning software architecture for transport documents. Why should they now implement a new solution that would require them to invest in significant internal (IT) resources or purchase from external software providers?

Quite simply, eFTI should be for everyone – large and small companies alike. Alongside the international companies, there are many small and medium-sized enterprises among freight forwarders and logistics service providers. Implementation of eFTI must therefore be practi-cable for all companies in the logistics sector, regardless of their starting position. Nobody should pay more!

Co-design via open source – the example of eCMR

Companies of all sizes now have an important opportunity to shape the future eFTI process and implement it early. Not alone, but together. The affirmed aim is to jointly create compati-ble systems at European level. A current blueprint for such an approach is the electronic consignment note (eCMR) for international cross-border road freight. Through an Open Logistics Foundation project, 20 companies and organisations are working on an open source solution for the digital consignment note. What is unique about this project is that market players – large corporations as well as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – and IT service providers from the logistics sector are working together. Free open source components allow companies of all sizes to participate = no one is excluded.

eFTI gives eCMR a massive tailwind

Digitising the eCMR makes it easier for logistics service providers to meet the requirements of the new eFTI Regulation. However, it is important to clarify that the eFTI Regulation does not cover the digitalisation of private transport documents such as the eCMR. But it does give a significant boost to the introduction of the digital consignment note, thanks to the creation of new data standards and reduction in complexity of the technical solutions to be developed.

Open source collaboration instead of siloed European efforts

The best and most standardised way of doing this is to use open source. An example of collaboration in action is the large-scale research project ‘Silicon Economy’ of the German Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV), led by the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics (IML), a strategic partner of the Open Logistics Foundation. The development work is already laying the foundations for an open source solution: Specifically, an exemplary implementation of an eFTI platform using the eCMR as an example. The digital con-signment note is used to automatically provide data for the eFTI interface.

This German open source approach is no longer a one-country approach effort. In the eFTI4EU research project, nine EU countries have now joined forces to promote a common architecture – and to publish it as open source software. Not only the companies, but also the authorities of the member states, must work together. This will speed up implementation times considerably.
There is no need for 27 individual solutions. The basic components, for example, the imple-mentation of an eFTI data model and an eFTI gate, can be standardised using open source. Interfaces are needed so that any company can connect to the eFTI gates, and open source is an important lever to ensure that eFTI really takes off. One thing is certain: eFTI is a pre-requisite for the further digitalisation of the industry and should not be stopped!

EU–US Trade: 15% Tariffs on Key European Exports

Posted on by David Priestman

The new EU-US agreement avoids a trade war but leaves exporters navigating rising cost pressures and long-term uncertainty.

While the deal avoids the previously threatened 30–50 per cent tariffs on EU goods, it represents a significant rise from pre-2025 levels of just 1–2 per cent, triggering concern among procurement leaders, compliance teams, and financial planners, and dealing a blow to Europe’s export-heavy industries.

The agreement introduces new tariff terms while securing exemptions for selected sectors such as aerospace, generics, semiconductor equipment, and critical raw materials. However, it offers no immediate relief for high-value goods, including automotives, pharmaceuticals, electronics, and industrial machinery.

In exchange, the EU has committed to over $1 trillion in US investment, including $750 billion in energy and defence contracts and $600 billion in infrastructure and supply chain partnerships. The deal is widely seen as a political compromise rather than a detailed framework for trade simplification. Despite softening the blow of threatened tariffs, the new terms are expected to increase costs and disrupt margins across multiple industries. While EU officials have welcomed the avoidance of an outright trade war, business leaders, particularly in Germany and France, warn that the 15 per cent baseline could undermine competitiveness, especially for small and mid-sized manufacturers.

Mark McCarthy, Chief Revenue Officer at Basware, commented: “Trade wars and tariff uncertainty introduce volatility into the global economy. For major enterprises, especially those with complex supply chains or international footprints, this creates hesitation around IT spending. CIOs and CFOs may want to delay large IT investments, reassess strategic priorities and scrutinize every dollar of spend. Organizations are working on contingencies, but in a turbulent environment, smart enterprises don’t stop investing, they get more focused on their spending and look for greater ROI on every purchase. This means looking to drive even more cost efficiency, investing in areas to mitigate operational risk, accelerating automation to do more with less, and increasing agility and visibility over the tech stack.”

Supply chains are not nimble as we saw during the pandemic, so CIOs and CFOs will also be considering suppliers that have the skills to handle the complex tax and tariff landscape. Combining technology solutions with tax compliance and skills will be vital in the near future as these tariffs come into effect. Steel and aluminium tariffs will remain at 50 per cent, despite expectations for broader relief. Officials from both sides have suggested that quota-based models may be introduced in future talks, but no formal pathways have been outlined. In the meantime, businesses across the EU have voiced concern over long-term policy stability, with the current agreement offering political optics over economic certainty.

For companies operating across European and US markets, the new tariff structure introduces friction into procurement processes, supplier relationships, and cost forecasting. The added complexity is expected to drive demand for automation, real-time spend visibility, and proactive compliance monitoring as organisations seek to stay ahead of shifting regulations.

Michael Joseph, Compliance Expert at Napier AI, commented: “Tariffs create a breeding ground for financial crime. Fluctuating tariffs, while designed to serve economic and national security objectives, have created unintended consequences. As supply chains reorganize in response, new vulnerabilities for money laundering and other financial crimes have emerged. Our research shows that money laundering and terrorist financing cost the US economy over $600 billion per year on average.

“Tariff differentials between countries create strong incentives for trade diversion and misrepresentation. When goods face a 10% tariff from one country but potentially up to 145% from another, criminal organizations can exploit these differences through invoice manipulation, falsifying country of origin documentation, or routing shipments through third countries to conceal their true origin. These techniques are hallmarks of trade-based money laundering but can become more difficult to detect during periods of extreme volatility. The coming years will require increased vigilance, technological innovation, and cross-border collaboration to address these emerging threats. For compliance professionals, this environment represents not just a challenge but an opportunity to demonstrate the critical value of financial crime prevention in an increasingly complex global economy.”

Although the agreement avoids immediate escalation, many sectors and regulatory bodies face months of operational ambiguity. Both the EU and US have indicated that further refinements may follow, but for now, businesses must navigate a trade landscape shaped as much by diplomacy as by detail. Economic analysts caution that sustained 15% tariffs could increase costs for consumers and businesses, dent export competitiveness, and strain supply chains unless further concessions follow.

Similar news

Tariffs and Trade Barriers as Top Concern of Supply Chain Leaders

 

Pallet Freight Network Consolidation in UK

Posted on by David Priestman

Pall-Ex Group has announced a major step in its long-term strategic plan, confirming the merging of the Fortec and Pall-Ex palletised freight distribution networks. The consolidation reinforces the Group’s ongoing commitment to operational excellence, service quality and member-driven growth.

Effective from 1st January 2026, the UK networks will evolve, operating under a unified Pall-Ex brand. The move marks the final phase of network consolidation and has been part of the long-term project since acquiring Fortec in 2020.

Pall-Ex Group COO, Barry Byers, commented: “When we acquired Fortec five years ago, our purpose was to gain market share, increase hub capacity and strengthen our network with quality members, all of which have been achieved.”

The introduction of the Group’s core operating system Nexus was the start of the network consolidation. Simultaneously, member territories were re-engineered across the UK to create operational synergies through increased drop density, resulting in enhanced revenues and condensed territories.

“Our next phase was to align our commercial offering to both our shareholder members and valued customers, which was deployed in early 2025. We are now entering the final phase of consolidation, simplifying our operational and commercial activities by operating as a unified force in the market,” continued Byers.

Pall-Ex Group has continued its evolution through the launch of the Pall-Ex Logistics UK Storage and Fulfilment Network, diversifying its offering to provide tailored distribution services from local storage facilities across the UK, connected through a bespoke warehouse management system.


In addition, this announcement follows Pall-Ex Group’s landmark £80 million investment into a new Group HQ and flagship hub in Leicestershire. The 408,000 square feet Centre of Excellence will set the standard for capability, sustainability and innovation in the sector.

In preparation for the consolidation, the Group has invested £200,000 in upgrading its Watford Gap Hub, alongside a focused recruitment drive to expand the Hubs’ operations team and meet the demands of increased freight volumes.

From January 2026, all Pall-Ex shareholder members will access the current Flagship Hub (Leicestershire) and the nearest regional hub, either the Northern Hub (Rochdale) or the Watford Gap Hub (Northampton). This will enhance operational speed, increase regional hub volumes and create a more efficient service for customers across the UK.

Michelle Naylor, Managing Director – UK Network, commented: “Our long-term vision has always been to minimise operating costs and maximise efficiency while we evolve our customer offering to accelerate growth, and the time has come to deliver the next steps in our strategy to do so. This alignment within our group is about simplifying operations and creating exciting new growth opportunities for our existing shareholder members, whilst also attracting quality transport organisations to our network. It’s a win for our members, people and customers, and another huge step forward in shaping a stronger, more sustainable Pall-Ex Group.”

New AGV Hero in the Warehouse

Posted on by David Priestman

In the pursuit of more efficient, productive and safe operations, a growing number of warehouses are implementing automated guided vehicles (AGVs).

“Companies continue to invest in automation, and in many cases AGVs present the most feasible investment, resolving a number of business challenge, such as labour shortages, worker safety, the need for a flexible factory layout, space saving as well as meeting the demands for more productive and efficient operations,” says Martin Broglia, MD of Bonfiglioli Australia and New Zealand. “As the AGV sector matures, we’re seeing a trend towards solutions that are customisable, modular and deliver precision and high performance. To meet this need, Bonfiglioli has developed the specialised BlueRoll gearbox”.

The BlueRoll is a wheel-mounted gearbox, specifically developed to meet the requirements of the AGV sector, delivering excellent position accuracy and high energy efficiency for long operating cycles. This gearbox is almost completely enclosed by the wheel and can be fitted directly to the chassis of the vehicle, making installation easy. The integrated wheel is supported directly by reinforced gearbox bearings, which permit ultra-high radial forces. It’s available in various sizes to meet load requirements, and reaches a speed of up to 2 m/s. With its compact axles and flat design, the BlueRoll is a space-saving solution.

“This is a gearbox that is built to handle heavy loads. It’s also a durable solution, using high-quality precision planetary gears. It comes with a range of feedback systems including safety encoders,” says Broglia (pictured). “It’s ideal for use in a wide range of warehousing and materials handling applications.”

Martin Broglia

The BlueRoll is currently available in three models:

1. BlueRoll BASIC: Achieves max speed of up to 2m/s, it can handle loads from 360 – 1020 kg. It’s available in three sizes – the 1.7kg TQW 060; the 5.5 kg TQW 070 or 10.9 kg TQW 090.

2. BlueRoll ADVANCED: Delivers low inertia and features a holding and safety brake. Available in three gearbox sizes – with four motor frame options, and a wide range of encoders for easy system integration. The ADVANCED is available in a range of sizes, from the 1.3 kg BMD 65, right up to the 7.7. kg BMD 118.

3. BlueRoll COMPACT: It’s 25% more compact than a standard motor-gearbox solution and is highly customisable. It also offers high energy efficiency thanks to its optimised mechanical design.

“Selecting the right gearmotor is critical. Our technical team ensure extensive consultation and collaboration with the customer, to deliver the solution that meets application requirements,” says Broglia.

Making its local debut

The BlueRoll will make its local debut at the 2025 Foodtech Packtech & MHL expo (taking place from 2-4 September 2025 at the Auckland Showgrounds, with free registration). Bonfiglioli will be exhibiting a number of innovations for the food processing and packaging sector. “The BlueRoll has a lot to offer the AGV brands and we can’t wait to introduce our customers to this smart product,” concludes Broglia.

Subscribe

Get notified about New Episodes of our Podcast, New Magazine Issues and stay updated with our Weekly Newsletter.