EU Calls For Cutting Red Tape in Supply Chain

At the 6th European Logistics Summit in Brussels last month, Charlie Dobbie, Executive Vice President for Global Network Operations at DHL Express presented European Commissioner for the Environment Janez Potocnik with key recommendations to ensure comparable, simple and valuable environmental and carbon reporting for the logistics sector.

Speaking on behalf of the Alliance for European Logistics (AEL), Dobbie called for the promotion of a consistent global standard for carbon calculation and reporting in the transport of goods, ensuring Europe’s approach is fully aligned within existing international frameworks. EU standards must be applied across the EU and national divergent rules and requirements must be avoided.

“As much as 15% of final product costs are logistics costs,” says Dobbie. “Reducing complexity in the supply chain would reduce product costs and increase European competitiveness for the benefit of business and consumers alike. It would contribute to unlock economic growth and jobs creation.”

The AEL maintains that any environmental footprint obligations should be easy to implement, provide comparable information and value to customers. At the same time, the EU should offer incentives that reward and support industry initiatives to meet reporting standards which already exist.

Looking forward to the publication of the Logistics Roadmap by the European Commission later this year, the Summit also saw a discussion on cutting red tape and simplifying regulatory requirements impacting logistics.

Today border management and protection processes are key factors for logistics companies to decide where to enter the EU. While EU rules exist, there are still major differences among the EU Member States in their implementation. There is a strong need to simplify EU import and export rules and to establish a “Single Window” approach for trade to boost growth in the EU.

The AEL promotes a new policy agenda for logistics services in Europe. It brings together both the major providers of logistics services in Europe as well as global companies that rely on efficient logistics for the successful execution of their business operations. Its current membership consists of BASF, CEVA Logistics, Deutsche Post DHL, duisport, Hapag-Lloyd, Hutchison Europe, IVECO, Kuehne + Nagel, Michelin, Motorola Solutions and SAP.

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