On October 21, 2025, the German Federal Ministry of Transport hosted the Tomorrow’s Freight Transport Conference in Berlin — the joint yearly event of the eFTI4EU and eFTI4ALL projects.
The full-day conference gathered over 300 participants from 41 countries, between in person and online, including representatives of transport companies, digital solution providers, EU policymakers, and Member State authorities. The event offered a platform to explore how digitalisation and the eFTI Regulation are reshaping the future of freight transport across Europe and beyond.
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Setting the tone for a digital future
The conference opened with remarks by Christian Hirte, Parliamentary State Secretary at the German Federal Ministry of Transport, who highlighted that the future of European transport “will be connected digitally,” with eFTI driving competitiveness, sustainability, and simplification.
Following suit, Magda Kopczyńska, Director-General of DG MOVE, underlined the need for strong cooperation among Member States, authorities, and the private sector to scale up eFTI across Europe: “We must look at digitalisation in transport more broadly and make logistics more attractive to new users and workers.”
Mr. Mark Erichsen, CEO of Toll Collect, echoed these remarks, noting that “Cooperation and coordination will make eFTI work — the private and public sectors must work together.”
From the European Commission, Lia Potec, Team Leader for eFTI at DG MOVE, presented an overview of upcoming milestones, announcing new technical guidance to help Member States and operators prepare for the July 2027 compliance deadline.
Demonstrations and practical insights
Among the highlights of the event was a live demo of the German eFTI Gate, delivered by Toll Collect, the Federal Office for Mobility and Logistics (BALM), IN Groupe, and GBK Trusted Partners. The demonstration simulated a real-time inspection using eFTI data, offering participants a first-hand look at how the system works in practice.
In the afternoon, the spotlight turned to private-sector innovation. Companies such as ABONA and GBK Trusted Partner GmbH showcased their eFTI-ready digital solutions, while Digital Logistics Centre of Excellence (DLK) presented updates on testbeds and cross-border pilots demonstrating interoperability between systems and authorities.
Insights from the field and the power of collaboration
The panel discussion, moderated by Christian Lüpges from Albrecht Consult, explored both the opportunities and challenges of eFTI implementation from an economic operator’s perspective. Representatives from Circle Group, PIONIRA NV, and the Transport Innovation Association joined the debate, highlighting the importance of cooperation, trust, and awareness-raising to ensure widespread adoption of digital solutions.
Further sessions included a presentation by Andreas Nettsträter, CEO of the Open Logistics Foundation, who demonstrated how eFTI and e-CMR systems can complement each other through harmonisation and open data models — a key step toward unified, paperless logistics processes across Europe.
Finally, the conference marked the official introduction of eFTI4LIVE, a newly funded initiative coordinated by the Ministry of Transport and Mobility of Spain. eFTI4LIVE will focus on certification, governance, interoperability, and go-live planning, strengthening the growing ecosystem of eFTI projects.
Looking ahead
The Berlin conference confirmed that eFTI is moving from planning to implementation. With the compliance deadline approaching in 2027, national authorities, EU institutions, and private companies are now joining forces to ensure a coordinated rollout of the Regulation. The event also showcased the growing importance of testing, interoperability, and stakeholder engagement — essential ingredients for a successful transition to digital freight transport.
The eFTI4EU Consortium warmly thanks the German Federal Ministry of Transport for hosting the 2025 Conference in Berlin and for its invaluable contribution to the success of this year’s event.
Photos © Dirk Michael Deckbar. All rights reserved.
