Towards a shared European logistics intelligent information space

Abstract

The EU relies heavily on the ease and reliability of international trade for its economic development. Nevertheless, in addition to logistics challenges which affect today’s transport processes, they are exposed to security and safety threats that come with this trade. Illicit international trade also undermines economic and social welfare in the EU. Consequently, risk management of the movement of goods through the international supply chain is critical for logistics operations, security and safety and essential to facilitating legitimate trade and protecting the financial and economic interest of the EU and its Member States (European Commission. 2013). Visibility of transport processes, which is strongly correlated with a Digital Transformation of the Supply Chain, is an important pre‐requisite for effective risk assessment and management and builds the basis for Corrective and Preventive Actions (CAPA) which aim at identifying problems and bottlenecks which affect goods transport and initiating related countermeasures in order to optimize the situation. “Systematic, real‐ time sharing or pooling of information, knowledge and expertise is essential to ensure that common equivalent minimum standards apply and that important information affecting supply chain risk is available to those who need it. Conversely, any significant weaknesses in information‐sharing undermine the effectiveness of risk management at different entry points and for the EU as a whole.” (European Commission. 2013)