Beyond the western bubble. Why regional expertise is the missing link in EU logistics

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. 1. Beyond the western lens: time to rethink european logistics
   2. Local expertise = real value
   3. Two models, two realities
   4. CEE – not so peripheral after all
   5. Smaller volumes, bigger growth prospects
   6. CEE carrier powerhouse
   7. Think local, act Pan-European
   8. Conclusions

Beyond the western lens: time to rethink european logistics

European logistics sector, and transportation as its vital segment, is often viewed through the Western-centric lens – the Benelux ports, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain.

Which, to an extent, is understandable. According to Eurostat’s latest data, Germany, France, and Spain were the largest markets in terms of road freight volumes with 22.5%, 12.6, and 12.1% shares, respectively. Italy was ranked fifth with 6.8% of the European volumes. That’s 54% of the total cargo transported by road coming to, from or being transported in these four countries.

Also, if you take the top ten European routes in terms of cargo transported, the Western domination is visible at first sight. Seven of the main corridors connect exclusively Western European countries.

Local expertise = real value

Even though EU policies such as the TEN-T (Trans-European Transport Network), the Mobility Package, and the expansion of digital platforms have, to some extent, harmonised the sector, substantial differences still exist between the two parts of the continent formerly separated by the Iron Curtain. Often these differences lie in unwritten expertise and knowledge stemming from years of practice on the ground that can’t be taught in schools.

A freight planner may optimise routes and processes across TEN-T corridors, but when theory meets practice, the plan can easily be derailed by immeasurable issues such as parking availability, driver shortages, unloading delays or border lags.

Ignore local knowledge and experience, and suffer greatly. How? With a very fragmented carrier market structure in the CEE region, it is very easy to end up with „empty runs” that put a massive burden on already strained costs as well as capacity utilisation. Only genuine regional expertise will allow one to anticipate, avoid or mitigate delays and bottlenecks, align operations with local expectations, and guarantee compliance with often unclear regulatory landscapes.

Not to mention the different dominant business models in these two regions. Western European markets, with their logistics giants and large shippers, tend to rely heavily on contract-based logistics (accounting for even up to 70% of volumes in some countries). On the other hand, 40-50% of volumes in the CEE region are transported on the spot market. This difference results from the fragmented structure of the transportation market in countries such as Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, and to a lesser extent, Lithuania. The carrier base there is made up heavily of SMEs and family businesses.

Two models, two realities

That said, freight platforms have potentially great harvests in the CEE region with an abundance of mid-sized firms relying on the spot market. Though no region-specific data is available, Transport Intelligence stats show that digital platform penetration has a long way to go in Europe. Over 31% of the surveyed firms declare that between 40-60% of its freight reservations take place on digital exchanges, while a further 31% claim that between 20-40% of their freight comes from the platforms. Only 10% of the surveyed carriers and forwarders get more than 60% of their orders from these exchanges.

Many digital freight and transport platforms claim to be pan-European solutions, but in practice are heavily skewed toward Western Europe due to their origins in those countries. Their networks, data coverage, and customer focus are concentrated on high-volume corridors such as Germany–France–Benelux countries. The CEE region is treated as peripheral. Unjustly.

CEE – not so peripheral after all

Despite the Western European domination, the CEE countries are also significant logistics markets. Citing the Eurostat figures, Poland was the fourth largest transportation market in Europe, with 11.7% of the volume carried in Europe being driven in, to or from the country. Also, Czechia has cracked the EU top 10, being placed at number 7.

Though the top ten routes were dominated by Western European connections, the second largest corridor on the continent in terms of volume is between Germany and Poland. In 2024, over 69 mln tonnes of goods were transported on this route. Poland is the recipient of goods coming from the West. The connection from the Czech Republic to Germany also made the top 10 (at number 9) with over 31 mln tonnes of cargo. Additionally, the Czechia-Poland route was ranked 14th, the Czechia-Slovakia 16th, while the corridor from Poland to Slovakia closed the top 20 ranking.

• Germany ↔ Poland – 69 mln tonnes
• Czech Republic ↔ Germany – 31 mln tonnes
• Czechia ↔ Poland – rank 14
• Czechia ↔ Slovakia – rank 16
• Poland ↔ Slovakia – rank 20

Though these rankings might not seem impressive, it should be noted that the former corridor saw more cargo transported than between Germany and Spain. Czechia-Slovakia volumes exceed those carried between Austria and Italy as well as between Germany and Denmark. The Poland-Slovakia route transported slightly less cargo than between Spain and Italy. From that perspective these distant CEE markets look much more interesting now.

Smaller volumes, bigger growth prospects

What’s more, the CEE region offers much larger growth opportunities than the often saturated Western markets. According to figures cited by Savills, a real-estate consulting firm, between 1990-2024 Poland has recorded the faste GDP growth rate among OECD countries. It also increased its household income by 31% between 2014-2024 in comparison to the EU average of 5.5%.

Growing e-commerce means more last-mile and regional transportation demand between hubs. Furthermore, e-commerce giants have been setting up distribution centers in countries like Poland serving the CEE as well as Scandinavian markets.

Furthermore, Poland is a key stop along the Silk Road – the vast majority of the rail cargo from China enters the EU via Poland’s Małaszewicze hub. The country’s central location means it is a key hub on two key European corridors. The East-West route (though temporarily it can’t fully realise its potential in that field due to the war in Ukraine) and the North-South corridor from Scandinavia to the Balkans.

CEE carrier powerhouse

Last but not least, CEE carriers provide a substantial share of Europe’s road transport capacity, especially in international haulage. In 2024, Polish carriers had a nearly 20% in the EU market in terms of transport performance, being the market leader. Furthermore, Polish carriers realised more than 40% of EU freight cabotage. Czech Republic, Romania, and Lithuania all made the top ten in terms of performance in tonne-kilometers with a combined market share of around 11%. Romania’s road freight transport has surged by 69% over the decade before 2024, outpacing the EU average by more than three times. Ignoring the CEE region means ignoring well over a third of EU transport capacity.

Think local, act Pan-European

Freight exchange platforms that integrate these carriers can tap into underutilized fleet capacity, offering shippers more options and improving efficiency in cross-border routes. As said, many pan-European platforms are still heavily Western-focused. This provides growth opportunities for local based exchanges such as Trans.eu and its digital solutions for shippers such as CargoON. Being a local expert, it could be the go-to solution for local market players as well as firms expanding into Poland and other CEE countries.

Conclusions

Beyond the Western Bubble is not a slogan it is a necessity. Presence and opening to the vast and opportunity-rich CEE and SEE markets is key to having a full, resilient and competitive pan-European connection. The CEE freight transport market offers significant opportunities for expansion, with robust growth rates, strategic locations, and increasing digital integration.