Supply chain visibility supported by easy access to, and exchange and use of relevant and abundant logistics-related information is an important prerequisite for the deployment of pan-European logistics solutions that are needed to increase efficiency and productivity, and to reduce environmental impact. Although there is a proliferative development of logistics-related data stores, information channels, information management systems and data mining facilities, with both international and intermodal focus, this multitude of solutions exhibits a high degree of fragmentation, due to differences in user requirements, data models, system specification and business models. This legacy situation severely hampers the optimal use of logistics-related information. To overcome this fragmentation and lack of connectivity of ICT-based information systems for logistics decision making, AEOLIX will establish a cloud-based collaborative logistics ecosystem for configuring and managing (logistics-related) information pipelines. This digital business ecosystem will create visibility across the supply chain, enabling more sustainable and efficient transport of goods cross Europe. An essential element of the approach is to ensure that for logistics actors connecting to and using the ecosystem in undemanding and has a low level of complexity. We envision the ecosystem enabling the integration of supply-chain-related transport business processes through logistics software solutions for cloud-based connectivity and interaction, in order to support more efficient collaboration in the logistics supply chain than exists today. By enabling low-complexity and low cost connectivity of local ICT platforms and systems and thereby scalable, trusted and secure exchange of information, AEOLIX will improve the overall competitiveness of goods transport in the supply chain, while simultaneously targeting sustainability from environmental, economic and social perspectives.

Addressing emissions from transport is becoming increasingly important due to its increasing contribution to total greenhouse gas emissions and the link to high levels of toxic pollutants in places with a high concentration of transport activity. The contribution of freight transport to these issues is already significant, and will become more so due to continued globalisation of supply chains and further global economic growth. Efforts to address these issues are already underway. Transport companies have for a long time focused on their own activities because it is good business sense. More recently, collaborative green freight programs have been developed. Several well-established industry-led green freight programs (Green Freight Europe, Lean & Green, ECO Stars etc.) developed to meet differing needs – operational data sharing to support benchmarking & reporting, efficiency improvement, reduction of toxic emissions in urban areas etc. Public authorities are also taking a greater interest because of targets to reduce transport CO2 emissions and improve air quality. They are investigating a wide range of mechanisms, from incentives to access restrictions, and from vehicle-level certification of emissions to legislation requiring reporting. There is much activity ongoing in this area; however, much of it takes place in isolation. This creates problems – for example, confusion over the role of different programs, disagreement over the most effective mechanisms that can be used to calculate and report emissions, where support is most needed to encourage certain behaviours, or ignorance of practical measures under development. The overall goal of LEARN is to establish co-ordinated networks of industry, government and civil society stakeholders and build on existing initiatives to drive consistent and transparent emissions measurement and reporting across the global logistics supply chain.