European companies are facing a wave of regulatory changes today – electronic invoicing, digitalization of transport documents (eCMR), digital product passports. These changes are often perceived as just another obligation. In reality, however, a deeper problem is emerging: many companies still do not know how to digitalize their processes. According to Luboš Veselý, CEO of GRiT, the issue is not just about fulfilling the new obligation, but about the ability to survive on the European market at all.
" Europe is trying to maintain its competitiveness. Transparency of the origin of goods, traceability, uniform data standards - these are not pointless requirements. They are tools to maintain a fair environment on the market. And companies that are unable to implement them well and reflect them in their operations will have less and less space on the European market. "
Standard as a condition for competitiveness
According to him, it is important to see these steps in a broader context. Regulatory pressure does not arise by chance. It is a reaction to an environment in which European companies face counterfeits, unclear product origins, different input quality and price pressure from companies outside the European Union. If a European manufacturer or distributor needs to prove the origin, composition, movement and condition of goods, a document somewhere in an email attachment is not enough. They need to work with a data structure that can be verified, shared across partners and directly linked to the next step in the process.
" The digital product passport will not just be a reporting obligation. It will allow you to clearly document the origin, composition and parameters of the product. This is essential for companies that invest in quality and also need to demonstrably distinguish it from counterfeits from China."
The same is true for eCMR or e-invoicing. The digitalization of the form itself does not solve the problem. It is crucial for Europe to unify the way in which companies exchange information about the movement of goods, documents and money.
This is where the importance of standards comes into play.
" Without a common language, it is impossible to manage a network of partners. Almost any company can create its own solution, but without a link to internationally recognized standards, such a model will always be limited and difficult to scale. That is why GS1 is a strategic partner for us. It is the bearer of a standard that is globally accepted and proven over the long term. "
From isolated tools to controlled flow
Many companies today respond to individual requirements separately – accounting handles e-invoicing, logistics eCMR, compliance product passports. The result is an environment where each part works independently, but the whole remains fragmented.
GRiT therefore advocates the opposite approach: not to address each new obligation with a separate tool, but to place it in a single ecosystem in which product data, supplier onboarding, business and logistics processes, and their ongoing evaluation are linked.
" We will not change the legislation. We will not always agree with its wording. But we can look for a way to deliver it to companies in a way that is operationally manageable. So that they can use it to their advantage. And so that it is not just an obligation, but part of a managed system. "
Regulation as an impulse to improve management
According to Veselý, it is often forgotten that regulatory pressure can also be an impulse to modernize. “However, electronic invoicing or digital shipping documents alone do not solve anything. If a company continues to operate on fragmented data and separate processes, it only translates the existing inconsistency into electronic form.”
" Our goal is for companies to have validated data, easy partner engagement, ongoing evaluation, and better conditions for managing the financial health of the entire business relationship in one ecosystem. If the process is set up correctly, it not only brings compliance with obligations, but also better control over the flow of goods, information, and capital. "
According to Veselý, the European environment will continue to move towards greater transparency and digitalization. " Competitiveness today is not just about price. It is about the ability to manage a comprehensive network of partners based on reliable, shared and verifiable data. And that is why common standards will be an increasingly important part of the functioning of the European market, " he concludes.
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