For years, digitising transport documents was a nice-to-have. The EU has now put dates on it.
Under the
eFTI Regulation (EU) 2020/1056, authorities across the EU must be able to accept freight transport information electronically, with full application from 9 July 2027. Certified platforms and national systems are being prepared now, and the European Commission estimates the shift to paperless freight could save the sector up to €1 billion per year. Country-by-country eCMR readiness already varies widely; you can check the current implementation status of every member state on the
eFTI and eCMR status map.
For a small carrier, this changes the buying question. It is no longer only "will a TMS save us time?" but "will the system we choose handle electronic consignment notes when our customers, and roadside inspections, expect them?" An eCMR cuts the administration on a transport document by roughly half, and unlike most efficiency claims, this one comes with a regulatory deadline attached.
It lands in a hard market, too. European carriers are squeezed from both sides:
Transport Intelligence's European Road Freight 2026 outlook points to rising costs against soft demand, and the
IRU counts over 400,000 unfilled truck driver positions in Europe, with around one in eight driver seats empty. When you cannot hire your way out, the only lever left is making the trucks and people you have more productive. That, more than any feature list, is the actual case for a TMS in 2026.
Before you shortlist, ask every vendor one question: are you a recognised eCMR platform, and what is your eFTI plan for July 2027? The answers will sort the list quickly. (Planlogi's answer is yes, and the full picture is in our
eCMR and eFTI 2027 guide.)