The large-scale digital reform of the logistics sector, which caused heated controversy among participants in the food market, received the expected, but compromise, development.
President Vladimir Putin supported the initiative of the Ministry of Transport to introduce a transition period with the mandatory introduction of electronic transportation documents (EPD).
From September 1, 2026, the system becomes officially mandatory, but there will be no strict sanctions at the start: until March 1, 2027, businesses will be able to use familiar paper media without the risk of receiving fines.
This decision is a clear signal that the state will not abandon digitalization, but is ready to reduce regulatory pressure during the adaptation period.
Position of the Ministry of Transport: the system is stable, but there will always be “latecomers”
At the government meeting, the head of the Ministry of Transport, Andrei Nikitin, emphasized the strategic benefits of the digital format for all parties, noting the transparency of the movement of goods in real time, the acceleration of financial settlements and the optimization of business costs.
Officials insist on the high technical maturity of the platform: the state information system (GIS EPD) has been operating smoothly in voluntary mode for four years now — since September 2022.
During this time, more than 14 thousand companies registered in it, and the total volume of issued digital documents exceeded 41 million units.
The department categorically refused to completely postpone the launch dates requested by the business.
The relevant minister stated that by any deadline, a “queue of latecomers” will always form on the market, so the launch will take place on time, but in a soft mode.
Concessions to agribusiness: emergency mode and zones without communications
Nevertheless, the regulator was forced to make serious concessions under pressure from the agricultural lobby.
In mid-June, 11 of the largest industrial unions of the agro-industrial complex sent an official appeal to the head of government, Mikhail Mishustin, asking for a two-year deferment (until the fall of 2028).
Food producers rightly pointed out the unpreparedness of small regional carriers, the lack of integration of GIS with accounting programs and the risks of complete blocking of supplies of perishable products in case of failures.
As a result, the Ministry of Transport normatively fixed the most important exceptions from the general rules:
Operating offline — in areas with unstable or no Internet coverage, carriers are officially allowed to not stop flights.
Force majeure protocol — the department is urgently developing a special “emergency regime” that will legalize a temporary return to paper invoices in the event of system failures on the platform.
Analysts’ view: six months to close the personnel and technical gap
The introduction of a six-month moratorium on fines is a tactical victory for the agro-industrial complex, saving the sector from a transport collapse during the peak load of the autumn harvesting campaign.
However, the respite will be short-lived. Integration through 11 accredited EDI operators requires companies to quickly restructure their internal IT circuits.
It is obvious: the main challenge in the coming months will not be the technical software of large holdings, but the digital illiteracy of hired self-employed drivers and small fleets, which account for a huge volume of grain and oilseed transportation.
Large manufacturers will have to take on the role of curators and urgently train their logistics counterparties to work with EPD, since from March 2027 any error on the line will become financially punishable.
