diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index f03f213e..33be0d87 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #######################################################
 # Build the spring boot maven project
 #######################################################
-FROM maven:3.9.3-amazoncorretto-17 as mvn-build-env
+FROM maven:3.9.3-amazoncorretto-17 AS mvn-build-env
 MAINTAINER Thanasis Karampatsis <tkarabatsis@athenarc.gr>
 
 ENV CODE_PATH="/opt/code"
@@ -33,6 +33,11 @@ ENV APP_CONFIG_TEMPLATE="/opt/config/application.tmpl"
 ENV APP_CONFIG_LOCATION="/opt/config/application.yml"
 ENV SPRING_CONFIG_LOCATION="file:/opt/config/application.yml"
 
+ENV SERVICE="portal-backend"
+ENV FEDERATION="default"
+ENV LOG_LEVEL="INFO"
+ENV FRAMEWORK_LOG_LEVEL="INFO"
+
 WORKDIR /opt
 
 RUN apk add --no-cache curl
@@ -40,7 +45,7 @@ RUN apk add --no-cache curl
 #######################################################
 # Install dockerize
 #######################################################
-ENV DOCKERIZE_VERSION v0.6.1
+ENV DOCKERIZE_VERSION=v0.6.1
 RUN wget https://github.com/jwilder/dockerize/releases/download/$DOCKERIZE_VERSION/dockerize-alpine-linux-amd64-$DOCKERIZE_VERSION.tar.gz \
     && tar -C /usr/local/bin -xzvf dockerize-alpine-linux-amd64-$DOCKERIZE_VERSION.tar.gz \
     && rm dockerize-alpine-linux-amd64-$DOCKERIZE_VERSION.tar.gz
diff --git a/config/application.tmpl b/config/application.tmpl
index 087ffb0f..08442c58 100644
--- a/config/application.tmpl
+++ b/config/application.tmpl
@@ -9,16 +9,6 @@ server:
   forward-headers-strategy: native
 
 
-### LOG LEVELS ###
-logging:
-  level:
-    root: {{ default .Env.LOG_LEVEL_FRAMEWORK "ERROR" }}
-    eu:
-      hbp: {{ default .Env.LOG_LEVEL "INFO" }}
-  file:
-      name: /var/log/portalbackend/portalbackend.log
-
-
 ### DATABASE CONFIGURATION ###
 spring:
   datasource:
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 826a7ca4..bfa59a7f 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -44,6 +44,16 @@
         <dependency>
             <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
             <artifactId>spring-boot-starter</artifactId>
+            <exclusions>
+                <exclusion>
+                    <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
+                    <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-logging</artifactId>
+                </exclusion>
+            </exclusions>
+        </dependency>
+        <dependency>
+            <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
+            <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-log4j2</artifactId>
         </dependency>
         <dependency>
         <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
diff --git a/src/main/resources/application.yml b/src/main/resources/application.yml
index 16fb8178..115e0ee8 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/application.yml
+++ b/src/main/resources/application.yml
@@ -7,15 +7,6 @@ server:
   port: 8080
   forward-headers-strategy: native
 
-### LOG LEVELS ###
-logging:
-  level:
-    root: "INFO"
-    eu:
-      hbp: "DEBUG"
-  file:
-    name: /var/log/portalbackend/portalbackend.log
-
 ### DATABASE CONFIGURATION ###
 spring:
   datasource:
diff --git a/src/main/resources/log4j2.yml b/src/main/resources/log4j2.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8068ef92
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/resources/log4j2.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+Configuration:
+  name: Default
+
+  Properties:
+    Property:
+      name: log-path
+      value: "logs"
+
+  Appenders:
+    Console:
+      name: ConsoleAppender
+      target: SYSTEM_OUT
+      PatternLayout:
+        pattern: "%d{yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss.SSS} - %-5level - %logger{36} - [${env:FEDERATION:-default}] - [${env:SERVICE:-portal-backend}] - %msg%n"
+
+  Loggers:
+    logger:
+      - name: hbp.mip
+        level: ${env:LOG_LEVEL:-INFO}
+        additivity: false  # Prevent log propagation to parent loggers
+        AppenderRef:
+          - ref: ConsoleAppender
+
+    Root:
+      level: ${env:LOG_LEVEL_FRAMEWORK:-INFO}
+      AppenderRef:
+        - ref: ConsoleAppender