Freight transport in Europe still relies heavily on paper documents, PDFs, email exchanges, and information systems that do not always communicate with one another.

The European eFTI (Electronic Freight Transport Information)regulation, adopted in 2020, aims to change the way this system operates.

Its goal is simple: to enable companies to electronically submit regulatory information related to the transport of goods, and to allow the relevant authorities to access that information in a standardized format.

But eFTI isn't just about replacing paper with a PDF or connecting more software.

The real challenge lies in data: how to organize it, transmit it, secure it, and, above all, ensure that it is reliable?

With a key deadline set for July 9, 2027, the eFTI regulation is gradually becoming a cornerstone of the digitization of European transportation.

What is Regulation eFTI 2020/1056?

Regulation (EU) 2020/1056 establishes a European framework for the use and electronic exchange of regulatory information relating to the transport of goods.

In particular, it concerns transportation:

• road;
• rail;
• by inland waterway;
• air.

The idea is to allow economic operators to submit regulatory information to the authorities electronically, rather than having to submit paper documents every time.

The regulation defines, among other things:

• the relevant information;
• the parties involved;
• the procedures for accessing the data;
• the requirements applicable to eFTI platforms;
• interoperability rules;
• security and confidentiality requirements;
• certification mechanisms.

The regulation took effect in August 2020, but its implementation has been a gradual process involving the adoption of several delegated and implementing acts.

Why did the European Union establish eFTI?

Today, a single transportation operation generates a large number of documents and exchanges of information.

Invoices, bills of lading, shipping documents, customs information, regulatory data, or documents related to certain goods may be produced in various formats and exchanged among multiple parties.

This situation leads to several difficulties.

Transactions that are still largely paper-based

Companies sometimes need to retain, print, or present physical documents during audits. This involves time, costs, and the risk of errors.

Systems that don't always communicate effectively

Carriers, shippers, freight forwarders, authorities, and other stakeholders use their own systems. Interoperability is essential to avoid duplicate data entry and disruptions in the flow of information.

Data That Is Difficult to Analyze

Information may be available in a document but not directly usable by a computer system. A PDF, for example, contains all the necessary information but is difficult to process automatically.

eFTI aims to transform European transportation into a more data-driven system.

What is regulatory disclosure?

This is a key point for understanding the regulation. eFTI does not mean that all of a company's business documents automatically become electronic.

The regulation concerns the regulatory information that must be made available to the authorities to demonstrate compliance with the obligations applicable to the transport of goods.

This information is presented in electronic form and is no longer necessarily linked to a specific paper document.

This is a significant development. We are gradually moving away from an approach that:

"Here is the document"

based on a certain logic:

"Here is the regulatory information needed to demonstrate the transaction's compliance."

Who are the stakeholders involved in eFTI?

The regulation involves several categories of stakeholders.

Economic operators

In particular, companies are required to provide regulatory information regarding their transportation operations.

When they choose to submit this information electronically in accordance with the regulation, they must use the mechanisms provided by eFTI.

The competent authorities

Regulatory authorities must be able to access regulatory information made available to them electronically.

The goal is to streamline inspections without systematically requiring the submission of paper documents.

eFTI Platforms

Information must be processed using platforms that meet the requirements set forth in the regulation and its implementing acts.

In particular, these platforms must ensure security, privacy, data access, and interoperability.

eFTI Service Providers

Some providers offer services that enable companies to store, manage, or make regulatory information available within the framework established by the regulation.

The European Commission

The Commission establishes the technical frameworks, common datasets, and specifications necessary for the implementation of the system.

How does eFTI work?

The principle can be summarized simply:

Company → eFTI platform → competent authority

The company makes regulatory information available in electronic form. This data is processed on a platform that meets eFTI requirements.

When an authority is required to conduct an inspection, it accesses the relevant information in accordance with the procedures set forth in the regulation.

Data must be presented in a machine-readable format, while also being made available in a human-readable form when necessary.

The goal, therefore, is to enable computer systems to communicate directly with regulatory data, while still allowing for human oversight.

The eFTI Payment Schedule

The eFTI schedule is important because several dates have been set to allow for the system's phased development.

2020: Adoption of the regulation

Regulation (EU) 2020/1056 takes effect in August 2020. It serves as the legal basis for the eFTI system.

2024: Initial Regulatory Changes

Several delegated and implementing acts specify the procedures for implementing the regulation. They define the data and technical requirements necessary for the system to function.

January 2025: First implementation measures

The first relevant delegated and implementing acts enter into force. Member States may begin developing the necessary IT systems.

January 2026: Operational Readiness

eFTI platforms and service providers are beginning to prepare for operational use. Member State authorities may also begin to accept, under the specified conditions, information stored on certified eFTI platforms.

December 2026

The Commission plans to adopt the final specifications necessary for the detailed definition of functional and technical requirements, as well as for certification.

July 9, 2027: Major deadline

That's the key date to remember.

Effective July 9, 2027, the regulation will take full effect, and the authorities of Member States will be required to accept regulatory information submitted electronically by economic operators through certified eFTI platforms.

2029: Review

The regulation provides for a review of its operation and implementation.

eFTI is based on two key principles: digitization and interoperability

The primary goal is, of course, to reduce reliance on paper documents.

But digitization is only the first step. The second challenge is logistics interoperability.

For the system to actually work, information must be able to flow between different stakeholders and different systems.

This involves, in particular:

• common formats;
• standardized datasets;
• interfaces that facilitate communication;
• common rules for access;
• safety requirements;
• the ability to interpret data correctly.

The goal, therefore, is not simply to convey information.

It is essential to be able to convey the right information, in a usable format, to the right party, and within a specific regulatory context.

Connecting systems is not enough

This is probably one of the most important points when it comes to logistics digitization.

An API connects two systems.

EDI standardizes data exchange.

A platform can centralize data.

However, none of these mechanisms alone guarantees that the data is correct or consistent.

Let's take an example.

An operation indicates:

• 10,000 kg on an invoice;
• 9,800 kg on a packing list;
• 10,200 kg on a shipping document.

All three pieces of information are extracted automatically without any issues. They can also be transferred automatically from one system to another. But the key question remains:

Which piece of data is correct, and why is there a discrepancy?

Digitization, therefore, does not eliminate the problem of data quality. In fact, it makes it even more significant.

Documents remain a critical issue

Even in a highly digitized environment, companies continue to receive a large amount of information in the form of documents:

• commercial invoices;
• packing lists;
• waybills;
• bills of exchange;
• certificates;
• customs documents;
• regulatory documents;
• supporting documents sent by email.

These documents are structured, semi-structured, or completely unstructured. They may also contain different—and sometimes contradictory—information. That is why the digital transformation of transportation cannot rely solely on system-to-system exchanges.

You need to be able to convert documents into reliable data.

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From Documentary Data to Actionable Data

This is where document-based artificial intelligence technologies come into their own.

The first step is to read the documents.

A second step is to identify the relevant information.

But that's not enough. Let's take a look at an invoice and a packing list.

A system can automatically extract:

• the invoice number;
• the supplier;
• the product code;
• the quantity;
• weight;
• the number of packages;
• the value;
• the motto.

But we still need to verify that this information is consistent across the documents. That's where document reconciliation.

OCR, IDP, reconciliation: What's the difference?

These technologies address different problems.

OCR: Read

OCR converts an image or a scanned document into usable text.

Its main function is character recognition.

OCR = read the document.

IDP: Extract and Structure

Intelligent Document Processing goes a step further.

It allows you to identify documents, extract key fields from them, and convert their content into structured data.

IDP = Understand and organize the document's content.

Document Reconciliation: Compare and Verify

Reconciliation involves comparing information from multiple documents or databases.

It can detect:

• inconsistencies;
• discrepancies;
• missing information;
• errors;
• contradictions.

Reconciliation = verifying the consistency of information.

Document Reliability: Making Data Actionable

Document reliability goes even further.

It combines: data extraction + data reconciliation + recommendations

to generate data that is more reliable and usable by systems and teams.

This is a key distinction in an eFTI environment.

Why Document Reconciliation Is Becoming Strategic with eFTI

The more processes become electronic, the faster data flows. And the faster it flows, the more quickly an error can spread. Incorrect information in a document can be:

1. extracted;
2. integrated into a system;
3. transmitted to another party;
4. used in an operational process;
5. reused in a regulatory audit.

So the question is no longer just:

"Can we automate the reading of the document?"

But:

"Can we ensure that the extracted data is consistent with other available information?"

This is precisely where document reconciliation adds value.

What data should be checked?

Depending on the operation, several categories of information can be compared.

For example:

The identities of the parties

• seller;
• buyer;
• sender;
• recipient;
• carrier.

Operation Details

• order number;
• invoice number;
• shipping reference;
• case number;
• product reference.

Goods

• description;
• reference;
• quantity;
• unit;
• weight;
• value;
• origin;
• classification, when applicable.

Physical Data

• number of packages;
• net weight;
• gross weight;
• volume;
• dimensions.

Regulatory Data

Depending on the context, certain information is verified against reference standards or regulatory requirements. The goal is not to assume that all data must be strictly identical. It is necessary to determine which information must be consistent and under what conditions.

A certified platform does not automatically guarantee data quality

This is another important point. The certification of an eFTI platform focuses on compliance with the requirements set forth in the regulatory framework.

It does not mean that all data entered into this platform is automatically accurate.

A platform is perfectly capable of storing and transmitting erroneous data. The issue of the quality of upstream information remains unresolved. That is why data control, validation, and reconciliation mechanisms complement the eFTI system.

What are the requirements for eFTI platforms?

The regulation sets forth a number of requirements for platforms.

In particular, they must enable:

• information security;
• data protection;
• the confidentiality of business information;
• access by the competent authorities;
• the traceability of operations;
• the retention of activity logs;
• protection against corruption or data loss;
• interoperability;
• the management of information corresponding to the datasets specified in the regulation.

The relevant platforms and service providers must comply with a certification process defined by the eFTI framework.

How can companies prepare for eFTI?

July 9, 2027 may still seem a long way off. But companies that truly want to benefit from digital transformation would be wise to start preparing their document workflows now.

Several steps are particularly important.

1. Identify the relevant regulatory information

First, we need to understand what information is generated, in which documents, and through which processes.

2. Map the data sources

The same piece of information may exist:

• in a public building;
• in a TMS;
• in a WMS;
• in a PDF;
• in an email;
• from a supplier;
• at a shipping company.

We must therefore identify the various sources.

3. Reduce data re-entry

Every manual re-entry carries a risk of error.

The goal should be to have data flow automatically whenever possible.

4. Verify the consistency of the information

Automatically extracting data is not enough.

It must be possible to compare it with other available information.

5. Draw the controls

When data is corrected or an anomaly is detected, it must be possible to understand:

• What information was verified;
• What anomaly was detected;
• which source was used;
• What action was taken?

6. Prepare for Interoperability

It's not just a matter of choosing a platform.

It is also important to ensure that the data generated by the company can be utilized by the various systems and stakeholders involved.

eFTI is accelerating the shift from document-based logistics to data-driven logistics

The eFTI regulation marks a significant change. For a long time, the document was the focal point of the process:

document → review → data entry → archiving

The logic is gradually shifting toward:

data → exchange → monitoring → utilization

But this transformation creates a new requirement.

The data must be:

• structured;
• understandable;
• accessible;
• secure;
• consistent;
• reliable.

That is why document digitization cannot be reduced to simply eliminating paper.

The Role of Document-Based AI in This Transformation

Document-based artificial intelligence can be used upstream of eFTI systems.

In particular, it can help:

Capture → Understand → Ensure Reliability → Take Action → Monitor

Incoming documents are identified and analyzed. Relevant information is extracted. It is then compared with other documents, reference systems, or available data. Discrepancies are detected and classified.

Teams can intervene only when necessary. This approach helps align unstructured document flows with the structured digital environments required for the digitization of transportation.

eFTI and document reliability: two complementary challenges

It is important not to confuse the two topics. eFTI defines the framework for the electronic exchange of regulatory information.

Document reliability ensures that the data extracted from documents is sufficiently consistent and usable to feed into the processes that rely on it.

One of them primarily addresses issues related to standardization, information exchange, and access to information.

The other addresses issues related to data quality, consistency, and reliability.

The two complement each other in an increasingly digital supply chain.

The Real Challenge: Moving from Documents to Reliable Data

The eFTI Regulation is not merely a new regulation on electronic documents.

It is part of a more profound transformation of European transportation.

In the future, regulatory information will need to be shared more widely in digital form among different stakeholders and across different systems.

For this transformation to truly work, we need to be able to answer three questions:

Was the data extracted correctly?

Is it consistent with the other available information?

Can it be used reliably in the process in question?

It is precisely in this chain that the challenge of ensuring the reliability of documents lies.

eFTI isn't just about eliminating paper

Regulation (EU) 2020/1056 lays the groundwork for a European transportation system in which regulatory information can be exchanged electronically between companies and authorities.

The next major deadline is July 9, 2027, by which time Member State authorities must accept regulatory information submitted electronically by operators through certified eFTI platforms.

But the success of this transformation will not depend solely on platforms or exchange standards.

It will also depend on the quality of the information used to generate it.

Because data can be perfectly digital, perfectly structured, and perfectly transmitted… yet still be false or inconsistent.

That is why the digitization of transportation must go beyond simply going paperless.

OCR for reading.

IDP for extraction and structuring.
Reconciliation for verification.
Data validation to make the data usable.

With eFTI, the European transportation sector is thus gradually shifting toward a model in which data becomes the primary vehicle for regulatory information.

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