This workshop was founded on the WP.24 need for a more in-depth insight on issues and challenges surrounding document and information digitalization in intermodal freight transport. Background information on the workshop and its programme is contained in Informal document No. 1 (Sept 2022). The workshop discussed efforts taken in digitalization at various levels, as follows:
- Regional level: the European Union Regulation (EU) 2020/1056 on electronic freight transport information, the approach chosen under this regulation and the progress in its implementation as well as digitalization challenges in the Greater Caspian Region,
- International agreement level: the operationalization of the Additional Protocol to the CMR concerning the electronic consignment note,
- Country level: German specification of standardized data exchange, and
- Enterprise level: INTERTRAN project by the Russian Railways and HUPAC Intermodal digital information exchanges and platforms.
The workshop stressed the following:
- Digitalization needs to be strategically planned and actively managed to be successful,
- Data standardization, consistent data structures, and interoperability are key to digitalization,
- Common and widely accepted data reference models such as UN/CEFACT or such resulting from negotiations and deliberations of conventions administrative committees or special intergovernmental bodies should be applied,
- Data protocols or relevant ecosystems are needed so that not all but relevant information is shared with relevant stakeholders,
- Integrity of the digital systems must not be compromised – no data can be modified without the knowledge and certification/authentication by concerned actors,
- Legal obligations are necessary for public administration to accept digital documents to incentivize business to invest or speed up digitalization, and
- Exchange of digitalization projects and their consideration is important to promoting harmonized approaches. WP.24 should play a role in facilitating the exchanges.