In the webinar we held yesterday, organized by MuyCanal and MuyPymes, together with DocuWare and Docuten, it became clear that the new eCMR regulation, which will take effect on October 5, raises many questions among carriers, partners, and small and medium-sized businesses.
To dive deeper into this legislative change and the integrated solution that DocuWare and Docuten bring, in the webinar “eCMR and Digital Consignment Note: How to Prepare for the New Regulation” we were joined by Mau Valencia, Strategic Account Executive ISV at DocuWare; Brais Méndez, CEO of Docuten; and Mar Bértoa, Product Manager at Docuten.
One of the webinar’s starting points was clarifying the distinction between the Control Document, the Consignment Note, and the eCMR, often concepts that get confused. As the spokespersons explained, the Control Document, also known as DeCA, is the administrative document that accompanies goods in domestic road transport.
Meanwhile, the Consignment Note evidences the contract between the shipper and the carrier. It can be kept on paper or used in electronic format. When managed digitally, it must meet the authenticity, integrity, and electronic signature requirements mandated by the regulation.
And finally, the eCMR is the electronic version of the international consignment note regulated by the CMR Convention. It is used in cross-border operations between countries that have ratified its Additional Protocol.
With these concepts clarified, the spokespersons delved into the more practical changes the regulation imposes that will affect the shipper, the logistics operator, and ultimately the recipient of the goods.
What changes as of October 5
The Sustainable Mobility Law, Law 9/2025, dated December 3, states that as of October 5, 2026 the control document that accompanies goods in domestic transport must be managed in digital format. A change that will affect the entire supply chain.
As Mar Bértoa, Docuten’s Product Manager, noted, “the adaptation is not simply swapping paper for a PDF. Companies will need processes that guarantee the authenticity and integrity of documents, allow identifying signers, preserve the traceability of every operation, and ensure the information is available for inspection.”
Therefore, as of the mentioned date, the control document must provide certain information such as “who created the document, who signed it, when each action occurred, and whether the information has been subsequently modified. It must also be possible to access the document during the journey and present it to authorities when required.”, explained the Docuten official.
The new model proposed by the law implies a shared responsibility. “The shipper must provide accurate data about the shipment, the goods, origin, destination, and transport conditions. The carrier is responsible for the operational data and for ensuring that the document is available during transit. The recipient validates receipt and confirms delivery,” illustrated Mar Bértoa.
And the risks of non-compliance go beyond administrative penalties. “Depending on the type of violation, the fines listed can range from less than €400 for minor irregularities up to €18,000 in certain cases of recurrence,” commented the spokesperson.
DocuWare and Docuten, integration to comply and digitize the chain
The digitization promoted by the Sustainable Mobility Law emphasizes intact documents, valid electronic signatures, traceability, secure retention, and integration with a company’s internal systems—such as ERP, CRM, or logistics management platforms. These are capabilities that DocuWare and Docuten can jointly guarantee with their end-to-end document workflow solutions.
DocuWare, for its part, as Mau Valencia explained, offers a document management and workflow automation solution “that enables accelerating automation with robust integrations, ensures regulatory compliance, and speeds up daily tasks.”
Docuten, on its side, is a platform for electronic signing and digital invoicing that features a mature tool integrated with different ERPs and management software.
The synergy of these two tools builds a framework for end-to-end document workflow. “With the regulation, a market opens that goes far beyond selling a standalone e-signature app, where partners can integrate documentation with their management systems, automate workflows, configure repositories, implement signing mechanisms, train employees, and maintain the solutions,” noted Brais Méndez of Docuten.
In fact, this regulation opens the door to turning the legal digitization requirement into an operational transformation project. “Companies that begin reviewing their processes before the obligation takes effect will have more room to test solutions, train their teams, and integrate technology with their internal systems. A regulation that will likely be delayed, as happened with Verifactu, and that if we’re not prepared can lead to technical problems and risk of non-compliance,” concluded Docuten’s CEO.
