IRU Press Release, New York 17.07.2017

Bringing the voice of the private sector into the UN’s work on sustainability, a model digital transport partnership between business and government in Greece will be recognised in New York at the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Business Forum.

IRU member, the Hellenic Federation of Road Transport, and the Ministry of Transport for Greece, will showcase the recent launch of the digital consignment note (e-CMR), which represents a major step forward for trade facilitation.

The project’s contribution to professionalising road transport and preparing the industry for change, directly supports the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with its potential to boost trade and so generate economic benefits at national and regional levels.

Conventions such as CMR, offer practical tools to deliver on the promise of sustainable and inclusive development, while e-CMR ensures more security, greater efficiency, and a more resilient future for freight mobility. Establishing an upgraded trade facilitation environment, e-CMR also offers the benefits of tried and tested global transit standards.

The session highlights the broader significance of transport innovation in promoting transformative economic, environmental and social change, which is endorsed by the UN and lies at the heart of IRU’s roadmap for sustainable transport, driven by its Global Partnership for Sustainable Transport.