IRU is calling on G7 countries to prioritise the digitalisation of transport documents in four key areas to ease global supply chains and boost trade.
IRU is calling on G7 digital and transport ministers to prioritise urgently the digitalisation of transport documents in four key areas: visas for professional drivers, consignment notes, transport permits and customs documentation.
Meeting today in Dusseldorf, Germany, G7 digital affairs and transport ministers will discuss digitalisation and trade facilitation.
The pandemic, the war in Ukraine and driver shortages are stretching global supply chains, along with lost shipping containers, congested ports, delays at borders and transport price increases. All are causing supply chains to slow, and in some cases to stop completely.
Digitalising transport documents in these four key areas will ease supply chain problems for the global economy, boosting trade facilitation and transport performance and helping deliver the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Solutions for digitalising these transport documents, including UN Conventions, are in place and just need to be put into operation in many countries.
G7 governments should take a leadership role by making a joint public commitment to implement international standards and processes in these four areas, thereby also influencing their trading partners to act in the short term.