What happens if a carrier claims cabotage rights but cannot produce the inbound CMR?

A carrier that cannot produce the CMR consignment note for the international inbound delivery has no documentary evidence of the triggering event that created the cabotage right. Transport inspectors treat the absence of the inbound CMR as prima facie evidence of illegal domestic haulage. The burden of proof falls on the carrier — without the inbound CMR showing the date and place of delivery in the host member state, all domestic operations performed after crossing the border are treated as violations regardless of what the driver states about the route taken.