eDelivery overview

You can integrate eDelivery with your existing back-end system using an eDelivery connector. This allows you to benefit from eDelivery's secure and interoperable message exchange capabilities without needing to modify your current setup. For details, see Backend integration.

To get started with eDelivery, you can explore the eDelivery website (for technical specifications, sample software and Building Block's details), join an eDelivery community (Interoperability Forum or Informal Cooperation Network, depending on your focus) or contact us for guidance.

You can subscribe to the eDelivery newsletter and other specific mailing lists, including technical releases, specification changes, surveys and conformant solutions notifications.

eDelivery contributes to interoperability through its standardised technical profiles and conformance tests. This ensures that different software solutions built with eDelivery specifications and passing the conformance tests can exchange data and documents, regardless of the specific business context or industry. As a result, organisations using diverse, yet conformant, software can communicate and share information effectively. This means organisations can confidently adopt different eDelivery-conformant software solutions based on their specific needs, knowing they will seamlessly integrate with other participants within their digital ecosystem.

There is no formal qualification process. We add digital ecosystems (we prefer this name over "projects") to the eDelivery Digital Monitoring Dashboard through our monitoring efforts. Informing us about national projects using eDelivery ensures their inclusion in our dashboard.

eDelivery allows digital ecosystems to leverage reusable components and adopt best practices, avoiding duplication of effort. For example, software components developed for secure exchange of healthcare data can be reused within the same organisation when building a solution for exchanging invoices.

eDelivery is a Building Block in the context of the European Commission's digital strategy. This means it is a reusable digital solution that can be easily integrated into various IT systems across different sectors and countries.

As a Building Block designed to be modular and interoperable, eDelivery provides a standardised and reliable way for organisations to exchange electronic data and documents securely. This eliminates the need for each organisation to develop its own custom solution for data exchange, saving time and resources.

An eDelivery network is a secure and interoperable communication framework that facilitates the electronic exchange of data and documents between different organisations. For more information, see What is eDelivery.

The Informal Cooperation Network (ICN) for eDelivery is a platform for representatives from Member States who are involved in setting up national eDelivery infrastructures. Its primary goal is to contribute to the adoption of eDelivery at both national and EU levels.

To become a member of the ICN, use this form.

The eDelivery Interoperability Forum is a community for software developers and service providers to share their knowledge, experiences and expectations regarding the eDelivery Building Block.

If you are a software developer working on eDelivery solutions for a government agency or a service provider offering eDelivery integration services, you can greatly benefit from joining the Interoperability Forum.

To become an eDelivery Interoperability Forum member and get invited to our events (twice a year), subscribe through this form.

The 4-corner model in eDelivery is a method for secure and reliable message exchange. It involves four parties: the sender, the sender's Access Point, the receiver's Access Point and the receiver.

In this model, the sender does not send messages directly to the receiver. Instead, messages are sent through Access Points that handle secure delivery and metadata management, ensuring the message is properly routed and received. For details, see Message exchange.

The legal basis for eDelivery is established by EU legislation, which mandates the use of interoperable digital solutions for secure cross-border data exchange. These regulations ensure that eDelivery services comply with European standards and legal requirements, promoting efficiency and legal certainty across Member States. For details, see EU legislation.

Yes, you can choose to develop your own software, purchase a service from an external provider, or use eDelivery's sample software components to customise a messaging solution that fits your organisation's needs.

eDelivery actively supports open-source development by providing free and publicly available reference implementations of its specifications, such as Domibus, an AS4-compliant Access Point solution. These tools enable developers to adopt, customise and enhance eDelivery components for various use cases.

Additionally, eDelivery contributes to the Java community by developing and sharing Java-based libraries and tools that implement key functionalities of eDelivery specifications.

eDelivery also collaborates with the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) to align its specifications with technical standards, ensuring interoperability and fostering innovation within the open-source and technical communities.

An Access Point is an implementation of the eDelivery AS4 profile (specifications here) maintained by eDelivery. You can consult the different eDelivery AS4 conformant solutions. Participants that are part of an eDelivery network can set up an Access Point to exchange data among each other.

The documentation about Domibus can be found here.

You can follow the detailed instructions here.