Public consultation on the European Union E-freight Initiative

CER considers that the two most important elements in the Commission consultation on e-freight are the idea of a single transport document and the issue of tracking and tracing applications.

In both cases, the rail sector already has useful tools and processes in place, which can already be used across modes (the CIM consignment note and processes resulting from the implementation of TAF TSI). These processes and tools are often embodied in existing legislation applied to rail, and already widely used. Any multi-modal solution should take into account this international rail acquis and existing best practices. This is an essential pre-requisite to stimulate the development of multi-modal solutions and the emergence of rail as the backbone of a sustainable transport system in Europe.