Freight logistics in the EU

Logistics is the planning, organisation, management, execution and control of freight transport operations. It integrates individual transport acts to door-to-door supply chains, determining the efficiency of freight transport. With ever increasing volumes in freight transport, logistics needs to find solutions to the emerging consequences of this growth. In economic terms, these relate to the costs incurred through congestion, labour shortages and to the dependency on fossil fuels. Regarding the environmental and social dimensions the challenge lies in reducing freight transport's negative impacts on the natural and social habitats. Logistics service providers need to help develop solutions to these issues. A Logistics Action Plan was adopted in October 2007, as part of a package of measures. It suggests a range of concrete actions in priority areas such as electronic information on freight, training and quality indicators, simplification of processes, vehicle sizes and loading units, urban transport and long-distance corridors.

The link address is: http://ec.europa.eu/transport/logistics/index_en.htm