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Turning transport emissions accounting into a useful tool for business decisions was the focus of the session “Making transport emissions count with CountEmissionsEU” at Connecting Europe Days on 30 September in Brussels. Four months after the Regulation’s entry into force, the discussion brought together industry, public agencies and technical experts to identify the practical steps needed for implementation.

Speaking on behalf of CLECAT, Director General Nicolette van der Jagt welcomed a common framework for more consistent and comparable transport emissions calculations, while stressing the diversity of experience across the European freight forwarding sector.

A central challenge is access to operational data from subcontracted carriers, particularly in road transport. Forwarders generally hold shipment information, while carriers hold fuel consumption and vehicle data. Connecting these sources accurately and affordably is difficult, especially for groupage, part loads and movements involving several transport legs. Differences between transport management systems and the absence of consistent data exchange arrangements add to the complexity.

CLECAT therefore called for a gradual approach to improving data quality. Common default factors and robust modelling remain essential where primary data is unavailable. Companies should be able to establish a credible baseline and progressively incorporate better operational data, beginning with selected carrier partners. At the same time, calculations must allow genuine improvements—such as cleaner energy use or better vehicle utilisation -to be reflected in the information provided to customers.

The wider panel highlighted the importance of interoperable systems, credible verification and practical support for smaller operators. Priorities included reliable EU default datasets, straightforward reporting templates, clear verification and certification rules, and a user-friendly calculation tool. Participants also identified early pilots in hubs and transport operations as a way to test guidance against real business conditions.

The session was moderated by Alan Lewis of Smart Freight Centre, with contributions from Noelle Fröhlich of DHL, Ethem Pekin of CER, Paul Sinnige of RVO and Stephanie Schilling of the European Environment Agency, alongside CLECAT.

CLECAT stressed that implementation should build on existing tools and the experience developed through the GLEC Framework and ISO 14083. Consistent application across Member States, proportionate requirements and easier data sharing will be essential to making CountEmissionsEU accessible to companies of all sizes. The discussion will inform the implementation plan and the work of the Expert Group on Transport Emissions Accounting.