Last week, the Sustainable Mobility Law was passed, one of the most significant legislative developments in recent years for road freight transport in Spain. Beyond the headlines, this law introduces a measure that will transform how this sector handles information: within ten months of its official publication, all administrative control documents will be managed entirely in digital format.
This provision is not limited to simply modernizing a procedure, but has implications such as redefining dynamics, accelerating processes, and requiring companies, administrations, and operators to synchronize in an environment that demands real interoperability; making digitalization the only way to a competitive and sustainable logistics ecosystem.
Modernizing transport
The mandatory digitization of the control document responds to the need to give coherence to the Spanish logistics system in a context where the demand for traceability, speed and security is growing exponentially.
This legislative change will allow progress in operational modernization , eliminating processes such as the physical transfer of documentation, manual errors, duplication, controls that relied exclusively on paper, and processes that were difficult to audit. This will enable a significant reduction in operational and administrative costs, thanks to the ability to consolidate data, automate workflows, and connect carriers, logistics platforms, shippers, and authorities.
It will also boost competitiveness and sustainability , adapting to an increasingly globalized and technologically advanced market, as well as reducing unnecessary travel, minimizing paper use and promoting intelligent information management.
e-CMR: the natural evolution of the process
Although the law does not mandate the use of e-CMR, the regulatory context points towards its gradual adoption. If the administrative control document becomes fully digital, it makes no sense for other essential documents to continue relying on paper.
The e-CMR —already implemented in numerous countries and supported by international agreements— allows not only the digitization but also the enrichment of information associated with transport: statuses, incidents, times, proof of delivery, geolocation and other key data for operational efficiency.
The new law initiates a documentary convergence that marks the step towards a model where digital documentation is the standard and not an exception.
A challenge of sectoral cohesion
One of the critical elements of this transition will be the sector's ability to move forward in a coordinated manner. Spanish transport is comprised mainly of self-employed individuals and small businesses, along with a small number of medium and large operators; and each of these groups will face the change from very different realities.
While large operators are already accustomed to digital systems and have a great capacity to absorb regulatory changes, freelancers and micro-enterprises lack technological tools and perceive digitalization as an additional burden. In between are medium-sized companies , which are in the process of modernization but face limitations in integration and resources.
A structural challenge in which we must ensure that all actors can comply with the standard without creating internal gaps, making this exercise a collective one: bringing together administrations, associations, clusters and platforms to collaborate in a homogeneous transition.
Beyond technology: a cultural shift
The sector has sufficient technology to handle document digitization. The solutions exist, are accessible, and have proven their viability in numerous markets.
The real challenge lies in two areas: organizational mindset, recognizing that digitalization is not a temporary imposition but a new transportation infrastructure requiring a review of habits, processes, and roles within companies; and sector culture, where paper is deeply ingrained as a backup, verification, or defense mechanism in the event of incidents. Here, the challenge is to build trust in digital systems, not just due to regulatory requirements but out of genuine conviction.
Document digitization should not be the end goal, but rather a catalyst to further professionalize the activity, improve the quality of service, and ensure the competitiveness of transport over the next decade.
An opportunity we are tackling together
We need to see the Sustainable Mobility Law as an invitation to review the architecture of freight transport and orient it towards efficiency, sustainability and interoperability.
We are at a crucial juncture. It's not just about digitizing documents nationally, but about aligning the sector with key European regulations such as eFTI to ensure interoperability and international competitiveness. This modernization of logistics is a task that demands collaboration, vision, and collective responsibility.
Ricardo Prieto
Account Manager at ALTIA Control Tower
