eFTI vs eCMR: what is the difference?
Adopted 2026-06-14 · ≈ 1 min read · 
edited by Dirk Baaijen
In short: the eCMR is one digital document (the electronic consignment note); eFTI is the broader EU framework for all statutory freight information that authorities must accept electronically. They complement each other. What that distinction means for your digitisation plan.
eFTI and eCMR are often confused. The difference is simple: the eCMR is one document, eFTI is the framework around it.
eCMR — the electronic consignment note
The eCMR is the digital version of the CMR consignment note: the proof of the carriage contract in cross-border road transport. It rests on the Additional Protocol to the CMR Convention (2008) and has the same legal value as paper — in countries that have ratified the protocol.
eFTI — the EU framework for all freight information
eFTI (Regulation (EU) 2020/1056) is broader: it requires authorities to accept all statutory freight information electronically — not just the consignment note, but also data on dangerous goods, waste shipments, permits and so on — provided it is submitted via a certified platform (from 9 July 2027).
How they work together
| eCMR | eFTI | |
|---|---|---|
| What | One document (consignment note) | Framework for all freight information |
| Basis | Additional Protocol CMR (2008) | Regulation (EU) 2020/1056 |
| Duty | Recognition per ratifying country | Authority acceptance duty (2027) |
In short: the eCMR digitises your consignment note; eFTI ensures the government must accept your digital information. Together they push paper out of road transport.
Read the main files: eFTI and eCMR. Or take the Transport & Logistics scan.
Sources
- https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2020/1056/oj
Regulation (EU) 2020/1056 (eFTI): EU framework for accepting statutory freight information electronically. - https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2018/615673/EPRS_BRI(2018)615673_EN.pdf
European Parliament (EPRS): briefing on electronic freight documents and the eCMR.
Read next
eCMR: the electronic consignment note in road transport
The eCMR is the digital consignment note with the same legal value as paper, based on the Additional Protocol to the CMR Convention (2008, in force 2011). More EU countries recognise it, and with eFTI the paper original disappears. What it means for road hauliers.
Is eFTI mandatory for me as a carrier?
eFTI does not force you to go digital, but it requires authorities to accept electronic freight information from 9 July 2027. Paper is still allowed, but digital-first becomes the norm. What that means in practice for carriers, forwarders and shippers.
eIDAS and eCMR: how are they connected?
eIDAS 2.0 provides the trust layer beneath digital freight documents: with the EU Digital Identity Wallet, qualified e-signatures and verifiable credentials, an eCMR can be reliably signed and verified across borders.