Research
5 insights from the KEYSTONE webinar on digitalisation, interoperability and the future of European enforcement
News
November 25, 2025
The initiative involved 60 people, including logistics operators, public bodies, and researchers, who were interested in understanding how digital technologies can improve road freight transport controls, with a focus on enforcement, interoperability, and data sharing. In addition to KEYSTONE, SETO and HOLOGISTICS also took part in the discussion on how digital technologies can transform road freight transport controls. Here are five insights that emerged from the discussion:
1. Smart Enforcement marks the start of a new control model.
The digital transformation of logistics necessitates an evolution from current vertical systems to open platforms, where various stakeholders – including transporters, logistics operators, infrastructure managers, and authorities – can share data in a secure and controlled manner. Collaboration becomes a strategic requirement for achieving end-to-end visibility and optimising processes that are still fragmented. Digital ecosystems are emerging as key enablers for building this new paradigm.
2. Shared standards as accelerators for interoperability
Standards play a key role in overcoming the fragmentation of information systems and ensuring data exchange between heterogeneous actors. The adoption of standard vocabularies and interoperability models enables faster integration of services, devices, and platforms, thereby reducing complexity and development costs. In the KEYSTONE context, standards such as IDS and open reference architectures become concrete tools for accelerating innovation.
3. Data governance as a pillar of trust
Data sharing can only occur if supported by precise data governance mechanisms that define who can access what, with what rights, and for what purposes. Trust between actors is built through transparent policies, granular control systems and infrastructures that guarantee data sovereignty. Well-designed governance enables data to be leveraged securely, which is particularly crucial in the transportation sector.
4. Concrete use cases as drivers of transformation
Experimentation with real use cases – such as those developed in the KEYSTONE project for road transport and intermodality – is an essential step in validating technologies, interoperability models and collaborative approaches. Working on concrete scenarios makes it possible to highlight measurable benefits, identify operational barriers and define scalable solutions designed for the market.
5. The role of roadmaps in promoting industrial adoption
For innovation to become part of companies’ daily processes, clear roadmaps must be developed, and stakeholders must be supported throughout the transition. Maturity frameworks, technical guidelines and support tools help companies assess their level of digitalisation and plan sustainable investments. Roadmaps are a crucial element in transforming research experiments into operational solutions that can be widely adopted.
1. Smart Enforcement marks the start of a new control model.
The digital transformation of logistics necessitates an evolution from current vertical systems to open platforms, where various stakeholders – including transporters, logistics operators, infrastructure managers, and authorities – can share data in a secure and controlled manner. Collaboration becomes a strategic requirement for achieving end-to-end visibility and optimising processes that are still fragmented. Digital ecosystems are emerging as key enablers for building this new paradigm.
2. Shared standards as accelerators for interoperability
Standards play a key role in overcoming the fragmentation of information systems and ensuring data exchange between heterogeneous actors. The adoption of standard vocabularies and interoperability models enables faster integration of services, devices, and platforms, thereby reducing complexity and development costs. In the KEYSTONE context, standards such as IDS and open reference architectures become concrete tools for accelerating innovation.
3. Data governance as a pillar of trust
Data sharing can only occur if supported by precise data governance mechanisms that define who can access what, with what rights, and for what purposes. Trust between actors is built through transparent policies, granular control systems and infrastructures that guarantee data sovereignty. Well-designed governance enables data to be leveraged securely, which is particularly crucial in the transportation sector.
4. Concrete use cases as drivers of transformation
Experimentation with real use cases – such as those developed in the KEYSTONE project for road transport and intermodality – is an essential step in validating technologies, interoperability models and collaborative approaches. Working on concrete scenarios makes it possible to highlight measurable benefits, identify operational barriers and define scalable solutions designed for the market.
5. The role of roadmaps in promoting industrial adoption
For innovation to become part of companies’ daily processes, clear roadmaps must be developed, and stakeholders must be supported throughout the transition. Maturity frameworks, technical guidelines and support tools help companies assess their level of digitalisation and plan sustainable investments. Roadmaps are a crucial element in transforming research experiments into operational solutions that can be widely adopted.