What is e-CMR?
An e-CMR is the CMR consignment note issued electronically. Its legal basis is the e-CMR Additional Protocol added to the CMR Convention in 2008. This guide explains when an e-CMR is valid, how it differs from paper and what to check before switching.
The legal basis of e-CMR
The CMR Convention of 1956 was written for paper. The Additional Protocol concerning the Electronic Consignment Note (e-CMR Protocol), adopted in Geneva in 2008, allows the consignment note to be made out, stored and used by electronic communication. It entered into force in 2011.
Under the Protocol, an electronic consignment note issued in accordance with it has the same evidentiary value and legal effect as a paper CMR. Its content is the same too: the particulars listed in Article 6 of the Convention must appear in the electronic note. See what is a CMR consignment note? for that list.
Conditions for a valid electronic note
For the electronic note to replace paper, the Protocol requires a few basic safeguards:
- Authentication: the party “signing” the note is identified by a reliable electronic signature method.
- Integrity: the data cannot be altered after issue, and later additions (e.g. reservations, successive carriers) are traceable as to who made them and when.
- Access and delivery: the parties entitled under the contract (sender, carrier, consignee) can access the note and obtain a printout when needed.
- Agreement between the parties: the parties to the contract of carriage agree on the method used to provide these safeguards.
Paper CMR vs e-CMR
| Topic | Paper CMR | e-CMR |
|---|---|---|
| Legal basis | CMR Convention (1956) | CMR Convention + e-CMR Additional Protocol (2008) |
| Signature | Handwritten signature or stamp | Reliable electronic signature / authentication |
| Copies | At least three printed originals | One electronic record, accessible to the parties |
| Reservations and delivery | Written by hand on the copies | Added to the record with a timestamp |
| Where valid | All CMR countries | Carriage between Protocol parties |
| Risk of loss | Copies can be lost or damaged | Central record with backups |
What e-CMR brings
- Speed: proof of delivery (the box 24 equivalent) is visible at once, so invoicing and payment are not held up.
- Fewer errors: data is entered once; copies cannot diverge.
- Stronger evidence: arrival and departure times, reservations and signatures are timestamped — useful in waiting-time and damage disputes.
- Less paper and courier: printed copies need not be sent and archived.
In the European Union, the eFTI Regulation (EU 2020/1056) is also phasing in the obligation for authorities to accept electronic freight transport information, which is accelerating the uptake of e-CMR.
CMRyaz and e-CMR
Today CMRyaz lets you prepare the CMR digitally, preview it exactly as it will print, download it as a PDF and share it by QR code. That is a fast, error-free way to produce a paper CMR; it is not an electronic consignment note within the meaning of the e-CMR Protocol, and the printed copies must still be signed.
e-CMR support with Protocol-compliant electronic signatures and proof of delivery is on the CMRyaz roadmap. Until then, you can prepare your CMR online and use the printed copies.
Frequently asked questions
Does an e-CMR have the same legal value as a paper CMR?
Yes — an electronic consignment note issued in line with the e-CMR Additional Protocol has the same evidentiary value as a paper CMR, provided the carriage is between Protocol parties and authentication and data-integrity safeguards are in place.
When did the e-CMR Protocol enter into force?
The Protocol was adopted in 2008 and entered into force in 2011. More than thirty countries have since become parties to it.
Is a CMR sent as a PDF an e-CMR?
No. A PDF or scanned copy sent by e-mail does not on its own provide the authentication and integrity safeguards the Protocol requires; it is simply a copy of a paper CMR.