Official Website of 2018 Bulgarian EU Council Presidency Integrates CEF eTranslation
European Commission, 2018
The Bulgarian EU Council Presidency has integrated the EU Council Presidency Translator into its official website, eu2018bg.bg. This provides AI-powered automated translation through custom translation engines developed by Tilde, backed up by the European Commission's eTranslation system. In this way, the translator enables multilingual communication at this high-profile event, which sets the priorities of the EU agenda.
The translation tool is implemented in the main menu of the official site, giving EU delegates, journalists, and visitors to the EU Council Presidency a way to automatically translate texts, documents, and websites between English, Bulgarian, German, French and Estonian, with the remaining official EU languages to follow.
The EU Council Presidency Translator combines the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) eTranslation services, developed by the European Commission Directorate-General for Translation, with custom Bulgarian and Estonian engines developed by Tilde, a leading European language technology company. Tilde's award-winning engines, along with CEF eTranslation's German engine, are built using cutting-edge neural network technology. This AI-based machine learning approach examines the full context of a sentence to produce highly fluent, readable, and almost human-like translations.
“As the Bulgarian EU Council Presidency events will be attended by delegates, journalists, and guests from across Europe, we are extremely glad that the official website of the Bulgarian Presidency has integrated an advanced automated translation tool,” said the Minister for the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU 2018, Lilyana Pavlova. “Powered by CEF eTranslation and Artificial Intelligence, the EU Council Presidency Translator, developed by Tilde and its partners, is a great example of cutting-edge technological innovation being applied to the communication strategy at large-scale international events to foster greater understanding across language barriers and cultures alike.”
Snapshot of the tool
The EU Council Presidency Translator was first used by the Estonian EU Council Presidency in 2017, and introduced the world’s first AI-powered Neural MT engines for Estonian, also developed by Tilde. The tool was officially launched at the EU Digital Summit in September 2017, which was attended by twenty-five heads of state and government from all EU Member States.
CEF eTranslation helps European and national public administrations exchange information across language barriers in the EU, by providing machine translation capabilities that will enable all Digital Service Infrastructures (DSIs) to be multilingual.
Bulgaria will host the EU Council Presidency from January through June. The country is set to host thousands of high-level meetings, seminars, conferences, and events, helping to set the priorities and agenda of the Council of the European Union. The EU Council Presidency Translator, developed in partnership with the Institute for Bulgarian Language and the University of Vienna and co-financed by the European Union’s Connecting Europe Facility, will be passed on to the Austrian EU Council Presidency beginning in July of 2018.
CEF eInvoicing Webinar Series: Understand the Technical Side of eInvoicing
European Commission, 2018
The European Commission is happy to announce three upcoming webinars looking at technical aspects of electronic invoicing (eInvoicing) in Europe following the publication of the European standard on eInvoicing.
In accordance with Directive 2014/55/EU on electronic invoicing in public procurement, the European Commission mandated the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) to draft a common European standard. The semantic data model established with the standard defines the core elements that an electronic invoice must contain to enable cross-border interoperability.
The Directive allows for an 18-month implementation period after the publication of the standard, with 18 April 2019 fixed as the deadline for this. The publication of the standard is a major milestone towards the digitalisation of public procurement in Europe and marks an important step towards realising the Digital Single Market.
These webinars conclude a series covering technical eInvoicing topics to support implementation.
- On 30 January 2018, webinar #7 will cover Basic XML, Mapping & Conversion and is intended for XML beginners as it will cover an introduction to the XML language, information about types and formats of data, basic XML rules, encoding, mapping and conversion.
- On 13 February 2018, webinar #8 on XML Validation Mechanisms will allow participants to learn about the vocabulary used in relation to validation and the typical approaches on how to deploy testing.
- On 7 March 2018, webinar #9 on OASIS UBL 2.1 & UN/CEFACT CII will provide information on where the specifications can be found and how can the users navigate the specification package and information on XML schemas and technical artefacts.
You can register for ‘Basic XML, Mapping & conversion’ on the event page:
eInvoicing is the exchange of an electronic invoice document between a supplier and a buyer. An eInvoice is an invoice that has been issued, transmitted and received in a structured electronic format which allows for its automatic and electronic processing, as defined in Directive 2014/55/EU.
The creation of a European standard for eInvoicing in public procurement prevents the continued proliferation of non-interoperable eInvoicing standards and syntaxes in the Member States. A common European standard removes barriers and provides better conditions for cross-border trade.
Every EU Member State (and additional EEA countries) has a unique approach to dealing with eInvoicing. For each country you can now have updated information on CEF Digital 2018 about their eInvoicing policy framework, the eInvoicing platform(s) used to exchange eInvoices in the B2G context (if existing), eInvoicing standards in use as well as the approach for receiving and processing electronic invoices.
The European Commission will announce the dates of upcoming webinars online so subscribe to the newsletter or follow #ConnectingEurope to receive the latest updates on CEF eInvoicing and upcoming webinars.
CEF Reuse Matrix: A New Design for a Deeper Understanding of the Reuse Status of Each Building Block
CEF Reuse Matrix: A New Design for a Deeper Understanding of the Reuse Status of Each Building Block
The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) reuse matrix monitors the status of projects involved in the reuse journey of each Building Block.
The European Commission has recently developed an additional view of the reuse matrix to complement the existing matrix and provide stakeholders with a snapshot on the reuse status of each Building Block.
Through the Digital Single Market initiative, the EU is ensuring that the digital transformation is an opportunity for European citizens, businesses and Member States. The Building Blocks – eDelivery, eID, eSignature, eInvoicing and eTranslation – make it easier to interconnect complex digital services and IT systems across Europe, creating a Digital Single Market.
A few notable adaptations have been made in order to grasp the key elements of the reuse analysis in a simple matrix.
Firstly, the matrix only lists the projects that have taken a first step towards the potential reuse of a Building Block. The matrix provides no information on Building Blocks for projects that have not committed to start analysing their potential reuse. This considerably reduces the amount of information displayed and provides stakeholders with a clear overview of reuse status.
Secondly, the name of each project is directly integrated in the matrix under the corresponding Building Block. This aims at grouping essential information and place it where it could best serve the reader’s understanding.
Finally, the chosen visual design ensures an optimal readability, by having icons depicting each building block, separating them in columns and matching font colours with background colours.
The table below shows the status of the CEF Projects involved in the reuse journey of each Building Block. Reuse is monitored following the reuse journey, from commitment to analysis to implementation and reuse of the building block.
Source: Data provided by the DSIs and the Work Programme.
To find out more about the reuse and take-up of CEF DSI and the building blocks, visit the Monitoring Dashboard, the Reuse Watch and CEF Digital 2018.
Updated CEF Guidebook: Rationale and Measurement Metrics Behind DSI Uptake Assessment Explained
European Commission, 2017
In December 2017, the European Commission published the latest version of the CEF Guidebook, including additional details on the uptake assessment of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Building Blocks (eDelivery, eID, eInvoicing, eSignature and eTranslation).
The CEF Guidebook also provides information on the BRIS, Cybersecurity, EESSI, e-Justice Portal, eProcurement, ODR and Public Open data Digital Service Infrastructure (DSI).
The CEF Monitoring and Reporting framework defines the structure for the monitoring and reporting activities carried out by the European Commission and includes a common set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for progress performance and monitoring.
Digital Services can only support the realisation of the Digital Single Market if accompanied by widespread use and coverage; uptake is therefore the number one KPI for progress performance and monitoring.
The European Commission monitors the uptake of a DSI through the deployment, coverage and use of its software, standards and services. These three dimensions allow for an easy comparison of the implementation of Digital Services.
While deployment measures the adoption of standards and the implementation of software provided by the DSIs, coverage measures how widespread a DSI is being implemented by looking in which EU policy domain(s) the DSI is used. Ultimately, use measures a DSI’s popularity with the end-users. It is however important to note that depending on the activities of each DSI, uptake can be measured following one, two or all three implementation aspects.
To find out more about the uptake measurement process in more detail visit the Monitoring Dashboard, and CEF Digital 2018.
Download the the CEF Guidebook (PDF):
EU Login Authentication System Connected to the eIDAS Network
European Commission 2017
The European Commission has implemented a dedicated identification mechanism to facilitate users' access to a wide range of Commission information systems, known as EU Login. This system is ready to connect to the eIDAS network, allowing users to identify and authenticate to the services thanks to their nationally-issued electronic identification (eID).
The mutual recognition of eID schemes across Europe is mandated by Regulation (EU) N°910/2014 (commonly known as the eIDAS regulation). It states that by 29 September 2018 all online public services requiring electronic identification assurance corresponding to a level of 'substantial' or 'high' must be able to accept the notified eID schemes of other EU countries.
Driven by the need to simplify identity and access management to its services, the European Commission has developed an innovative, user friendly and secure tool. EU Login is regrouping the different solutions developed over the past years into a unified comprehensive service and brand new interface. It serves now as an entry point for over 800 information systems with more than 3.5 million active users, composed of collaborators from the European institutions but also citizens wanting to access EU Services.
In parallel, EU Member States have been supporting the uptake of eID to access online services across Europe for the last decade. The STORK Large Scale Pilots initiated interoperable cross-border eID. The eIDAS regulation provides a more predictable regulatory environment and introduces the principle of mutual recognition of national eID schemes (including smartcards, mobile and log-in), allowing citizens of one European country to use their national eIDs to securely access online services provided in other European countries. The technical infrastructure which connects the national eID schemes is called the eIDAS network. It is composed of national eIDAS interoperability nodes.
Over the past months, the European Commission has been actively working on the migration of the identification and authentication functions of EU Login from STORK towards the new eIDAS regime.
In November 2017, Estonia and Austria established a connection to the EU Login system via their technically-compliant eIDAS nodes, allowing civil servants and EU citizens to access the Commission’s online services by reusing their nationally-issued eID via the eIDAS network. More countries will follow in the coming months.
Allowing EU citizens and civil servants to access the Commission’s online services by reusing their nationally-issued eID, not only eases the identification process but also provides a high level of security and authentication assurance.
Secure electronic identification and authentication is a prerequisite for the expansion of online public and private services across Europe. This is the only way to guarantee that EU citizens and businesses truly enjoy and benefit from the Digital Single Market. By developing EU Login, the European Commission has practically demonstrated the benefits of connecting to the eIDAS network in order to provide users of EU services with a simple and secure electronic identification and authentication solution based on nationally-issued eIDs.
The Commission supports EU Member States in developing interoperable electronic identification services via the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) eID building block.
CEF eID primarily supports the Member States in the roll-out of the eIDAS Network. Service Providers (public administrations and private sector organisations) may then connect their services to this network, making these services accessible across borders and allowing them to enjoy the legal recognition brought by eIDAS. This cross-border eID, in line with the eIDAS Regulation and enabled by the CEF eID building block, is termed eIDAS eID.
CEF eSignature Presented at ETSI eSignature and eSeal Validation Workshop
Click to see the presentation (PDF)
On 10 January 2018, the European Commission presented on the validation of qualified electronic signature, and its implementation in Digital Signature Service (DSS), the e-signing component provided by the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) eSignature Building Block at the 'eSignature and eSeal Validation Workshop' in Sophia Antipolis, France.
The one-day workshop discussed standardisation for eSignature/eSeal Validation services provided by Trust Service Providers, addressing conformity assessment, protocols and validation report. The objective was to define standards adequate to reach the objective of Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 on electronic identification and trust services for electronic transactions in the internal market (commonly known as the eIDAS Regulation).
The eIDAS Regulation has applied directly to the EU Member States since 1 July 2016, when it came into full effect, replacing the eSignature Directive of 1999. The new legal framework ensures legal certainty for cross-border use of electronic signatures, e-seals, time-stamps, eDelivery service and website authentication certificates. The main changes introduced by the eIDAS Regulation are:
- A regulation, not a directive, making it directly applicable across Europe without the need for transposition into national legislation
- Paving the way to new remote qualified signature solutions and improved user experience
- A pan-European harmonization of electronic signature
- Electronic documents cannot be denied legal effect solely because they are in electronic form
- Qualified trust services across Europe
- The introduction of electronic seals, available to legal persons, technologically similar to electronic signature and ensuring identity and integrity
- The introduction of time stamping
- The constitutive effect of national Trusted Lists
- A qualified validation service for qualified electronic signatures
The eSignature Building Block helps public administrations and businesses to accelerate the creation and verification of electronic signatures. The deployment of solutions based on this building block in a Member State facilitates the mutual recognition and cross-border interoperability of electronic signatures. This means that public administrations and businesses can trust and use electronic signatures that are valid and structured in EU-interoperable formats.
During the presentation, the European Commission made specific reference to the DSS services provided as part of CEF eSignature.
DSS is an open-source software library for electronic signature creation and validation. It supports the creation and verification of interoperable and secure electronic signatures in line with European legislation.
In particular, it follows the eIDAS Regulation and related standards closely. DSS is re-useable in an IT solution for electronic signatures to ensure that signatures are created and verified in line with European legislation and standards.
To promote recognition of services within the EU, ETSI started working on standardization of electronic signatures/eSeal validation, addressing policy and security requirements fitting within the EU scheme for supervision of (qualified) electronic signatures/eSeal validation services, as well as specifying the technical architecture, the protocol, and the validation report. The work intends to provide standards that will ensure coexistence of various solutions (e.g. protocols bindings).
The standards provided by ETSI aim at supporting not only eIDAS, but also other legal or regulatory frameworks.
See the event agenda and find out more:
CEF eInvoicing: Is Your eInvoice Valid? CEF Services Help you Find Out!
European Commission 2017
The European Commission is happy to publish a series of Service Description (SOD) Documents, providing a comprehensive overview of services and support – available to you – supporting electronic invoicing (eInvoicing) in Europe.
To reduce the number of eInvoicing standards hampering cross-border economic activity in Europe, EU Member States and the European Parliament approved Directive 2014/55/EU on electronic invoicing in public procurement the creation of a single European eInvoicing standard.
The Directive mandates an 18-month implementation period with 18 April 2019 fixed as the deadline for this. One extra year could be implemented by Member States for sub-central authorities as allowed by the Directive.
The European Commission and EU Member States are supporting the adoption of eInvoicing respecting the European standard for eInvoicing through the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) eInvoicing building block through as well as grant funding.
CEF eInvoicing offers a free service package that gets you started with eInvoicing in public procurement and helps you comply with European Standard and its Specifications. It includes services, documentation and tools.
The SODs provide in-depth information on each component of the service package provided by the CEF eInvoicing building block.
The Services
The SODs are designed to provide a full understand of the services provided by the CEF eInvoicing building block and how to best make use of them. Below are summaries of the services provided:
- Conformance Testing: Solution & service providers and public entities to check the compliance of their eInvoicing solution against the European standard (including ready-to-use test cases, a testing platform and user-support)
- Service Desk: a Single Point of Contact to address questions, incidents, requests and changes reported by the users
- Trainings: Implementation workshops, Remote trainings and webinars provide policy makers, public entities, suppliers to public entities, solution & service providers with information on the eInvoicing Directive and the European standard
- Implementation Best-Practices: an easy reference repository for eInvoicing related information including information about access to the different code lists, codes used and their meaning, and a glossary of elements used in the European eInvoicing standard
- Stakeholder Management: Awareness raising & stakeholder follow-up available to support compliance with the European standard
- Community: A secure online environment where stakeholders can discuss eInvoicing topics and be informed about the latest CEF news and events
- eInvoicing Readiness Checker: public entities can check their level of readiness to exchange eInvoices in compliance with European legislation (based on their national policy framework). Service offers service & solution providers have an opportunity to demonstrate their capabilities in implementing eInvoicing solutions.
The European Standard on eInvoicing
The deadline for contracting authorities and entities to comply with the Directive and to receive and process electronic invoices respecting the European standard is 18 April 2019. To learn more about the European standard on eInvoicing you may consult the timeline, discover the status of eInvoicing in different Member States and learn about grant funding in place to support the adoption of conformant solutions.
Visit the CEF eInvoicing Services page to consult the list of services and download the SODs: