The biggest challenges in international transport do not stem solely from logistics, but from the multitude of regulations and the complex documentation required to carry out shipments. The list of regulations that a carrier should be familiar with is many times longer than the one applicable to a business providing services in industries such as construction or trade. Carriers are bound not only by the CMR Convention, but also by national transport laws, EU regulations, and strict customs and tax rules, as well as those concerning cabotage. On top of that, there are requirements related to drivers’ working time and employment, as well as the documentation needed during inspections. Complex regulations are only one side of the coin. Equally important are the provisions included in the transport order, which form the foundation of the relationship with the contracting party.
Transport order – what to pay attention to?
In transport, time is a scarce commodity, which clashes brutally with the growing volume of contracts. Often, a one-page order is nothing but a trap – signing it means unconditional acceptance of extensive GTC hidden on the shipper’s website.The most extensive order I have worked with had over 100 points across 7 A4 pages, resembling a mortgage agreement more than a transport document. The difficulties are compounded by a language barrier and complex “legalese”. Understanding foreign contracts is made harder by the fact that English is not widely used in every market. A perfect example is France, where not knowing the local language can become a real legal risk.
Documentation and debt collection
For debt collection actions, it is not only properly performed transport that matters. Correctly calculating the payment deadline requires submitting a complete set of documentation in line with the order’s guidelines. Lack of awareness of these details is the most common cause of delays in transfers. Before the payment deadline, efforts focus on auditing the order and identifying and completing missing documentation necessary to fulfil the contract. The deadline for settling financial liabilities is counted from the moment the full set of documents is delivered. Their absence formally blocks the possibility of pursuing receivables and applying sanctions.
Most commonly required documents
Most transport orders require the carrier to provide a complete set of original documents – the invoice, CMR and the transport order – with particular attention to the legibility of dates and signatures, and the correct completion of key fields. Depending on the market served, it is also necessary to attach local documentation.
In Germany, these include the Lieferschein (proof of delivery) and the Palettenschein (pallet receipt, required regardless of any pallet exchange provisions); in France, the Attestation de paiement (statement of payment); and in Eastern Bloc countries, the CFR-1 tax residency certificate. In the case of transport outside the EU, it is also necessary to provide full customs documentation, including EX, T1 or e-dec documents.
How to avoid the problem?
The key to on-time payments is delivering the documentation. From our experience, the shipper rarely informs you about missing items, because any delay in formalities pushes the transfer date back. A good practice is to verify the completeness of the documents with the contracting party a few days after sending them. This helps avoid unpleasant surprises, such as a sudden request for a dual-currency invoice and another 60-day payment extension.
It is also very important that, thanks to appropriate legislation, debt collection costs can be passed on to the debtor, providing companies with financial security without additional burdens.
