CMR, invoice and packing list: checking documents for international road freight

The CMR relates to the contract for international carriage of goods by road. The Convention's basic condition is carriage for reward between two countries, at least one of which is a contracting party; exceptions apply. The consignment note confirms the contract, but its absence alone does not invalidate it. It is not a universal substitute for commercial documents or customs clearance.

The EAEU Customs Code classifies invoices and packing lists as commercial documents. For practical reconciliation, the invoice connects the goods with the sale terms and value, while the packing list connects them with the physical shipment: their arrangement in boxes, crates or on pallets. The following is a working consistency-check procedure, not a list of mandatory documents for every shipment.

• UNIDROIT: CMR Convention: Articles 1, 4, 6, 8 and 11
• Eurasian Economic Commission: EAEU Customs Code: Articles 2 and 108

Create a role sheet: seller, buyer, consignor, carrier, consignee and dispatch warehouse. Copy the legal names and addresses from the relevant documents. A seller may dispatch from a third-party warehouse, and a buyer may appoint another organisation to receive the goods. Such differences need a clear basis and agreed instructions; do not mechanically make all details identical.

Separately check the actual loading and delivery locations, order number, and invoice number and date. If names appear in different languages, use a shared company or order identifier and an agreed spelling. A storekeeper's contact details help reach the warehouse but do not replace the party's legal details. For a partial shipment, identify which part of the order is being sent now.

Article 6 of the CMR lists the cargo and packaging description, number of packages, their marks and numbers, and gross weight or quantity otherwise expressed among the consignment note particulars. To match these with commercial documents, use the chain: item code — goods quantity — box — pallet — shipment total.

Check the unit of measure for each line: pieces, sets, pairs or metres. State the contents of a set if quantities cannot otherwise be matched. Add up the packing list lines and compare them with the portion of the invoice being shipped. Then count the outer packages handed to the carrier. Unique labels such as P01–P10 help the warehouse locate a pallet and link it with the boxes it contains.

• UNIDROIT: CMR Convention: Articles 1, 4, 6, 8 and 11

Do not copy net weight into the gross-weight field or add pallet totals to boxes already included in those totals. We recommend recording the goods weight, packaging weight and total for each outer package separately, stating whether the pallet is included. The package totals should explain the overall result; units and rounding rules should be clear to everyone preparing documents.

Clarify where the figures come from: actual weighing of the finished shipment or the supplier's calculation before packing. If crating changes the weight and dimensions, notify the logistics coordinator before the vehicle arrives. Agreement on the goods quantity does not yet confirm that the shipment will fit the selected body or remain within the specifications used for the quotation.

An illustrative shipment contains 1,200 identical items: 10 per box and 12 boxes per pallet. The invoice shows 1,200 pieces; the packing list shows 120 boxes on 10 pallets. The draft CMR says ‘12 pallets’. The actual packaging needs checking: the number 12 may have been copied from the boxes-per-pallet field.

Before loading, the warehouse recounts the outer packages and confirms the markings. If there are 10 pallets, the author corrects the draft consignment note and the coordinator checks the total weight and contents. If there are actually 12 pallets, the packing list is rebuilt and the order specifications are checked. A filename bearing a new date does not replace approval: the carrier and consignee must confirm receipt of the current data.

Article 108 of the EAEU Customs Code separately lists transport and commercial documents, information on origin and goods characteristics, and compliance with prohibitions and restrictions. Matching the CMR, invoice and packing list therefore does not by itself confirm that the document set is sufficient for a customs operation. Applicable evidence is determined by the goods, their purpose, origin, route and selected procedure.

Give the person responsible for documentation a technical description and any known cargo characteristics. For equipment, the model and configuration are useful; for products with special properties, provide the relevant supplier documentation. Separately agree documents for road, sea and rail legs if transshipment is involved. Use a previous shipment's completed folder only as a starting point for a fresh check.

• Eurasian Economic Commission: EAEU Customs Code: Articles 2 and 108

Under Article 11 of the CMR, the sender provides the carrier with the documents and information needed for the necessary formalities; the carrier is not required to check their accuracy or adequacy. Its checks on acceptance under Article 8 concern package numbers and markings and the apparent condition of the cargo and packaging. Handing a folder to the driver does not complete the commercial-data check.

Appoint a coordinator for the document set and an author for each document. The change log only needs the field, previous and new value, reason, author and approval time. For signed or submitted documents, clarify the correction process with the responsible parties. Before dispatch, retain the agreed versions, a list of documents handed to the carrier and contacts available during loading. When contacting GreenTrans, attach the shipment description and identified discrepancies so they can be discussed alongside the route.

• UNIDROIT: CMR Convention: Articles 1, 4, 6, 8 and 11