ADR 2023 from Verkehrsverlag Fischer: content, use, obligations

The ADR 2023, i.e. the edition of the European Agreement on the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road in the version dated January 1, 2023, has been the most frequently used printed work in Germany for the appointment of the dangerous goods officer in accordance with Section 1 Paragraph 1 GbV since its publication by Verkehrsverlag J. Fischer. It was replaced by ADR 2025, but continues to be used as a reference for training, audits and safety reports during the operational transition period.

This article explains how ADR 2023 is structured, what changes it brought compared to ADR 2021, what transition periods are relevant in practice and what operational obligations arise from this for dangerous goods officers, shippers, carriers and recipients. You will receive a checklist for the next audit preparation and an indication of how the obligations can be mapped in a compliance platform without the printed material in the cupboard becoming outdated.

The ADR is an international agreement under the auspices of the UNECE. The 2023 edition includes nine parts in two volumes. Part 1 contains general regulations, definitions and training requirements. Part 2 the classification of dangerous goods. Part 3 the list of dangerous goods, special provisions, exempt quantities and limited quantities. Part 4 the regulations for the use of packaging and tanks, Part 5 the transit procedures. Part 6 the construction and testing regulations for packaging, part 7 the regulations for the transport unit, part 8 the vehicle crew and part 9 the construction and registration regulations for vehicles.

The transport publisher J. Fischer publishes the German-language consolidation edition as a two-volume work, attached are the German adaptations from the GGVSEB. Compared to 2021, the 2023 edition contains, among other things, clarified lithium battery regulations, new UN numbers for synthesized fuels and changes to special regulations for medical waste. The Dangerous Goods Officer bases his risk assessment in accordance with Section 8 Paragraph 1 GbV directly on these parts. The appointment certificate, signed, filed, verifiable.

The ADR agreement is updated every two years. The ADR 2023 came into force on January 1, 2023, and at the same time there was a transition period of six months during which the previous edition ADR 2021 could continue to be applied. The ADR 2025 became effective as of January 1, 2025, with a six-month transition period until June 30, 2025. Since July 1, 2025, the ADR 2025 has been binding for all international road transport.

For audits and safety reports from the 2024 financial year, the ADR 2023 remains the relevant source because incidents, training and classifications from this Period should be assessed according to the version in force at the time. Practical consequence: At the beginning of 2026, a dangerous goods officer must also have access to both editions because retroactive tests are based on ADR 2023, while current operations have to be organised according to ADR 2025. CIVAC documents the currently valid version including the period of validity in the workspace, so that every evidence is clearly assigned to the correct set of rules. Audit-proof, documented, § 8-proof.

The ADR 2023 brought several practice-relevant changes. For lithium batteries, Special Provisions 188 and 230 have been clarified, with more stringent requirements for damage detection and packaging testing in accordance with Section 38.3 of the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria. New packaging instructions P909 and P910 have been introduced in a differentiated manner for used and damaged lithium batteries.

Several new UN numbers have been included in the classification section, for example for hydrogen storage systems in adsorbers and for polymer resins. Special regulation 363 has been editorially revised regarding the transport of internal combustion engines in vehicles. When coding tanks, requirements for recurring inspections and the identification of tanks for cryogenic liquefied gases were specified. For the dangerous goods officer this means: Classification templates, training documents and transport documents must be checked for these changes before the annual report is prepared in accordance with Section 8 Paragraph 4 GbV. CIVAC provides audit templates that show the differences between ADR 2021, 2023 and 2025 as a checklist, so the auditor calls, the proof is ready.

Chapter 1.4 ADR assigns duties to those involved. The sender must ensure correct classification, packaging and labelling and issue the transport document in accordance with Section 5.4.1 ADR. The carrier is responsible for the proper condition of the vehicle, carrying the required documents and the equipment in accordance with Chapter 8.1.5 ADR. The recipient may not delay acceptance without reason, but must check that regulations have been complied with.

Other parties involved are shippers, packers, fillers and tank container operators, each with their own obligations according to Section 1.4.3 ADR. According to Section 8 GbV, the dangerous goods officer is obliged to monitor compliance with these obligations, train employees, investigate incidents and submit an annual report to management. According to Section 10 GGVSEB and Section 37 of the Dangerous Goods Act, violations are punished as administrative offenses with fines of up to 50,000 euros per incident. If intent or gross negligence is proven and damage occurs, criminal liability is added in accordance with Sections 222 and 229 of the Criminal Code. Deadline expires as soon as we become aware of it.

The transport publisher J. Fischer in Düsseldorf offers the ADR 2023 as a two-volume printed work in a slipcase, bound with ribbon markers, usual list price around 148 euros. There is also an electronic version in the ECE online database free of charge in the UN official languages, as well as paid online subscriptions from German publishers that offer updates and cross-references. The printed version is still widely used for companies subject to audits because it can be presented in a tangible form during the supervisory inspection.

Operationally, it is not the form that is decisive, but rather the verifiable availability at the workplace of the dangerous goods officer and in the driver's cab, insofar as the transport document requires this. In a compliance platform, availability can be stored as a mandatory asset, with a period of validity, location and update date. Others run compliance like a filing cabinet. We run it like software. Anyone who only maintains the ADR as a print edition runs the risk of overlooking UNECE change sets and correction lists that are published between the main editions.

Chapter 1.3 ADR requires training for all persons whose activities involve dangerous goods. The instruction is divided into general instruction, task-related instruction and safety instruction. It must be issued before work begins and repeated at regular intervals. The GbV specifies in Section 4 Paragraph 2 that the dangerous goods officer ensures and documents the training.

Drivers also need an ADR training certificate in accordance with Chapter 8.2 ADR, issued after passing an exam, valid for five years. With the transition to ADR 2025, the material of the refresher training was adjusted, which must be taken into account for repeat examinations in 2025 and 2026. CIVAC documents instructions, refresher appointments and certificates with expiry dates and reminder functions. This means that the level of training can be verified at the push of a button, for example when the trade inspectorate or BAG control accesses the system. The appointment certificate, signed, filed, verifiable.

According to Section 8 Paragraph 4 GbV, the dangerous goods officer prepares an annual report on the company's activities in the area of ​​the transport of dangerous goods. The report contains at least reference to the applicable ADR regulations, a description of the transports, incident statistics, the training carried out, identified weak points and proposed measures. The report must be kept for five years and presented to the supervisory authority upon request.

In addition, Section 1.10 ADR requires a security plan for certain dangerous goods to prevent theft or misuse. The plan identifies tasks, training, operations, equipment and response to security incidents. The security plan is mandatory for companies that transport dangerous goods of classes 1, 7 or certain quantities of other classes. CIVAC presents both the annual report and the backup plan as audit templates with mandatory fields and versioning. This means that the report is audit-proof, documented, § 8-proof and can be exported as a PDF in the audit dashboard with two clicks.

A company that ships, transports, loads, fills or receives dangerous goods is obliged, according to Section 1 Paragraph 1 GbV in conjunction with Appendix 1, to appoint at least one dangerous goods representative. Exceptions apply to exempt quantities in accordance with Section 1.1.3.6 ADR and for exclusively national transport below thresholds. Anyone who ignores the order obligation risks fines according to § 10 GGVSEB of up to 50,000 euros and personal liability of the management according to § 130 OWiG.

The order is made in writing, with an appointment certificate, proof of qualifications and notification to the supervisory authority, insofar as state law requires this. Licence the workspace for your internal representatives or have our representatives order it. CIVAC offers Officer-as-a-Service with external dangerous goods officers qualified according to GbV, appointment certificate with SLA of two working days, connection to the workspace with ADR version management and integrated security plan template. Alternatively, CIVAC provides the workspace for your internal GGB, with audit templates, refresher reminders and training documentation.

ADR 2023 is a precise, demanding set of rules that will remain operationally relevant in the transition to ADR 2025. A printed work alone is not enough; What is crucial is demonstrable application in day-to-day business, documented in training courses, incident registers, security plans and annual reports. Anyone who organises this without a platform loses time and overview as soon as audit cycles, training deadlines and ordering obligations run in parallel.

CIVAC is a compliance platform and officer-as-a-service for 25 officer roles, including the Dangerous Goods Officer. With workspace, audit templates, ADR version management and EU data residency. Turn reading into an assignment. Write to info@civac.de or use the contact form. In the 30-minute initial consultation, we will clarify whether your order obligation applies, which transition periods are relevant and which model suits your industry and quantity limit.