Supply Chain Issues to Consider in Europe

Europe is densely populated, with over 85% of the population of335 million living within a 500-mile radius. But the presence of many independent countries in Europe and the consequent regulation and political boundaries create unique supply chain challenges. Reference [94] provides a summary of many issues that have to be considered in managing supply chains in Europe. Some of the major characteristics of European logistics are 

Pan-European carriers were also emerging as possible solutions. 

What does all this mean for a supply chain manager in Europe It means that spatial distance may not be an appropriate way to look at the supply chain because country boundaries may have an impact. It means that individual country specific rules regarding truck sizes and movement would need to be considered while planning the supply chain network. Coordination agreements to decide how orders are initiated and delivered could have a significant impact on costs. In short, the supply chain architecture in Europe would have to respond to the specific European logistics context. 

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