News

CLECAT CALLS ON THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION TO ANNOUNCE NON-ENFORCEMENT GRACE PERIOD FOR ICS2 RELEASE 3 ROAD AND RAIL

CLECAT, the European Association of Freight forwarders, Logistics Service Providers and Customs Agents has urged the European Commission to grant a non-enforcement period from the 1 September implementation of ICS2 Rlease 3 for road and rail transport, warning of serious blockages at European land borders.

EU AND US PUBLISH JOINT STATEMENT TRADE AND INVESTMENT

On 21 August, the European Union and the United States published a Joint Statement on a Framework Agreement on Reciprocal, Fair, and Balanced Trade, confirming and building on the political agreement reached by President von der Leyen and President Trump on 27 July.

CLECAT DIGITALISATION WORKING GROUP MEETS

On 28 August, CLECAT’s Digitalisation Working Group convened to review the latest developments in the digitalisation of freight transport, with a strong focus on the implementation of the eFTI Regulation (EU) 2020/1056.

US TO RETALIATE AGAINST IMO MEMBERS THAT BACK NET ZERO EMISSIONS PLAN

On 12 August, the U.S. Department of State issued a Joint Statement on Protecting American Consumers and Shipping Industries, formally rejecting the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) Net-Zero Framework.

CLEVER OPENS CONSULTATION ON EMISSION FACTOR CALCULATION METHODOLOGY

The EU-funded project CLEVER recently launched an open consultation on its draft framework for calculating standardised GHG emission factors in the transport and logistics sector. This initiative supports the upcoming CountEmissionsEU Regulation, establishing a harmonised framework for measuring GHG emissions from transport services.

ITF REPORT ON FINANCING TRUCK ELECTRIFICATION

On 25 August, the International Transport Forum (ITF) released their new report, entitled Financing the Electrification of Heavy-Duty Vehicles. It examines the financial and regulatory challenges hindering the widespread adoption of electric trucks and buses. While electrification of urban buses has advanced rapidly—particularly in China and Europe—electric trucks and intercity coaches remain at an early stage due to higher upfront costs, uncertain residual values, and limited access to affordable financing, especially for SMEs.

DG TAXUD PUBLISHES UPDATES ON PROOF OF UNION STATUS AND MARITIME NATIONAL SINGLE WINDOW

The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union (DG TAXUD) has issued an update on the ongoing digitalisation of customs processes, specifically concerning the Proof of Union Status (PoUS) system and the Maritime National Single Window (MNSW).

EUROPEAN OPERATORS SUSPEND U.S. PARCEL SERVICES FOLLOWING END OF DE MINIMIS

In a recent press statement PostEurope has sounded the alarm over the U.S. decision to abolish the $800 de minimis threshold for imports, warning that the new requirements are impossible to implement within the short transition period.

EU COMPLETES SMART TACHOGRAPH RETROFIT FOR HDVS

On 22 July 2025, the Benelux Committee of Ministers confirmed the extension of the long-running pilot project on electronic consignment notes (eCMR) within Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. First launched on 1 December 2017 and prolonged once in 2020, the initiative was due to expire on 20 August 2025.

BENELUX EXTENDS E-CMR PILOT PROJECT UNTIL 2027

On 22 July 2025, the Benelux Committee of Ministers confirmed the extension of the long-running pilot project on electronic consignment notes (eCMR) within Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.

ICC DSI ROADMAP ON DIGITALISING GLOBAL TRADE

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Digital Standards Initiative has published a new report, Digitalising Global Trade: A Roadmap to Interoperability and Trust at Scale. While the past two years have seen notable progress in legal reform and the piloting of digital solutions, the ICC DSI cautions that isolated initiatives risk creating new digital silos rather than building a connected system. The report therefore calls for a stakeholder-led approach that combines legal, technical and operational measures to ensure interoperability and trust at scale.

SOLIDARITY LANES REMAIN KEY FOR UKRAINE’S ECONOMY

On 20 August June, the European Commission published updated figures on the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes, confirming their continued role as a crucial lifeline for Ukraine’s economy.

AIR CARGO DEMAND HOLDS STRONG DESPITE CHALLENGES

On 30 June, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) released its latest data on global air cargo markets, reporting a growth in demand despite trade disruptions.

CLECAT Meetings and participation in events

FIATA Region Europe field meeting
3-4 September, Prague

CLECAT Customs and Indirect Taxation Institute
17 September, Online

Porto Maritime Week
22-26 September, Porto

Customs Ecosystem Conference
6-7 October, Vilnius

CLECAT Board
17 October, Online

CLECAT General Assembly
13 November, Brussels

Logistics for Europe
13 November, Brussels

EU Meetings

European Parliament

European Parliament Transport Committee
1 September, Brussels

European Parliament Environment Committee
4 September, Brussels

European Parliament Plenary
8-11 September, Strasbourg

Council of the EU

Transport Council
4 December, Brussels

Environment Council
16 December, Brussels