Unveiling the potential of eInvoicing with updated Country Factsheets
The European Commission is happy to announce the 2023 update of all the eInvoicing Country Factsheets. These Country Factsheets provide comprehensive information on eInvoicing policies and practices. The factsheets are a joint effort with the EU Member States and additional European Economic Area (EEA) countries.
This update is a significant step forward in empowering businesses and governments to navigate the eInvoicing landscape effectively. We invite you to explore the updated factsheets and leverage the valuable insights they offer. These resources provide a wealth of knowledge, guiding you through the complexities of eInvoicing implementation across Europe. With the recent update, we have ensured that the information presented is accurate, relevant, and aligned with the latest developments in eInvoicing.
The country factsheets cover a range of essential topics, including policy frameworks, technical standards, digital reporting requirements, and much more. Whether you are an SME, an accountant, or part of a large corporation, these factsheets are designed to address your specific needs and equip you with the necessary guidance to navigate the eInvoicing landscape effectively.
As part of our commitment to engaging with the eInvoicing community, we encourage you to start engaging in our refreshed user community. We also take the opportunity to remind you the eInvoicing survey is coming to an end on 30 June, you still have time to participate!
Shape the Future of eDelivery Webinars: Your Input Matters!
The eDelivery team is gearing up for an exciting cycle of webinars designed to provide valuable content to the eDelivery user community. To ensure these webinars cater to your interests, we kindly request your participation in this survey. Your input is crucial in creating an engaging and informative webinar series that meets your needs and expectations.
By sharing your thoughts and preferences, you help us understand your needs better so we can develop a more tailored webinar experience. Your feedback will enable us to address specific topics, challenges, and trends that matter most to you. Your contribution will benefit the entire eDelivery community.
To further expand your understanding of eDelivery, we encourage you to explore our resources. Visit PeerTube to watch recordings of our recent webinars and gain valuable insights. Additionally, our website, blog, and community space provide a wealth of information and inspiration for topics you may be interested in.
Join us in shaping the future of eDelivery webinars. Take a few moments to complete the survey and help us create a webinar series that delivers exactly what you need. Your participation will ensure an engaging and informative experience for all members of the eDelivery community.
Stay tuned for the latest updates on the eDelivery services by checking the building block's twitter and web page. For more information, do not hesitate to register for personalised news or contact us via our portal or by e-mail: EC-EDELIVERY-SUPPORT@ec.europa.eu.
The eDelivery Building Block
eDelivery is a building block that provides technical specifications and standards, installable software and ancillary services to allow projects to create a network of nodes for secure digital data exchange.
Domibus is the sample software provided by the European Commission to implement an eDelivery AS4 Access Point for the interoperable, secure and reliable data exchange. It is based on the eDelivery AS4 profile, an open technical specification for the secure, web-based, payload-agnostic exchange of data or documents.
DomiSMP is the sample software provided by the European Commission to implement an eDelivery Service Metadata Publisher for publishing and retrieving data necessary for an eDelivery party to dynamically configure its system for message exchange with counterparties using eDelivery. It is based on the eDelivery SMP profile, an open technical specification for publishing service metadata within a 4-corner network.
DomiSML is the sample software provided by the European Commission to implement an eDelivery Service Metadata Locator for an eDelivery party to discover the URLs of other counterparties using eDelivery Access Points and their corresponding metadata. It is based on the eDelivery BDXL profile, an open technical specification for locating Access Points within a network, and on the PEPPOL SML Specification, a technical specification defining a BDXL administration API.
Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash
eDelivery DomiSMP version 5.0 final release
The eDelivery team has not received any feedback on the Release Candidate and we are therefore happy to announce that the final version of DomiSMP 5.0 is already available on our website.
The support for the previous version SMP 4.2 will end on 31st October 2023, therefore users are encouraged to upgrade to the new version DomiSMP 5.0.
Stay tuned for the latest updates on the eDelivery services by checking the building block's twitter and web page. For more information, do not hesitate to register for personalised news or contact us via our portal or by e-mail: EC-EDELIVERY-SUPPORT@ec.europa.eu.
The eDelivery Building Block
eDelivery is a building block that provides technical specifications and standards, installable software and ancillary services to allow projects to create a network of nodes for secure digital data exchange.
Domibus is the sample software provided by the European Commission to implement an eDelivery AS4 Access Point for the interoperable, secure and reliable data exchange. It is based on the eDelivery AS4 profile, an open technical specification for the secure, web-based, payload-agnostic exchange of data or documents.
DomiSMP is the sample software provided by the European Commission to implement an eDelivery Service Metadata Publisher for publishing and retrieving data necessary for an eDelivery party to dynamically configure its system for message exchange with counterparties using eDelivery. It is based on the eDelivery SMP profile, an open technical specification for publishing service metadata within a 4-corner network.
DomiSML is the sample software provided by the European Commission to implement an eDelivery Service Metadata Locator for an eDelivery party to discover the URLs of other counterparties using eDelivery Access Points and their corresponding metadata. It is based on the eDelivery BDXL profile, an open technical specification for locating Access Points within a network, and on the PEPPOL SML Specification, a technical specification defining a BDXL administration API.
EC-3rd Countries Trust Services Forum: Paving the Way for Mutual Recognition
The European Commission, in its pursuit of international compatibility for trust services, has made significant investments in the pilot program with Ukraine at the forefront. This collaboration has culminated in the release of the TC AdES LOTL, marking a significant step towards achieving mutual recognition of trust services between the European Union and Third Countries. To promote an exchange of views, the DIGITAL eSignature hosted the EC-3rd Countries Trust Services Forum, an hybrid event that brought together public institutions, private market representatives, representatives of EU and Third Countries.
With over 200 attendees, including participants from more than 27 EU/EEA Member States and over 15 non-EU countries, the forum served as a platform for fruitful discussions. The European Commission provided updates on its initiatives and engagements in the evolution of trust services, while speakers from various industries and countries, including Ukraine, Japan, and Albania, shared their valuable insights on trust services from policy, legal, and technical perspectives.Mutual recognition of trust services between the EU and Third Countries is a key milestone within the eIDAS framework.
The European Commission's leadership has paved the way for global trust in digital transactions, the impact of this action is reflected in the words of Viky MANAILA, Trust Services Director at Intesi Group and panel speaker in the forum.
"As Trust Services Director at Intesi Group, this journey under the guidance of the European Commission has been immensely rewarding. The achievement of mutual recognition allows us to instill global trust in digital transactions"
Let's take a closer look at the key highlights from the EC-3rd Countries Trust Services Forum:
Ukraine forms the frontrunner of the International Compatibility of Trust Services pilot, emphasising the importance of building trust between multiple parties.
The actions around the trust services are part of an ecosystem will include the implementations of the EUDI Wallet.
More international collaborations in the pilot are ongoing, including Japan, Albania and Moldova.
The European Commission targets multiple future international collaborations in the fields of electronic identities and trust services.
The European Commission announced the launch of the newly established Third Countries Trusted Lists Programme (TCTL). TCTL provides a well-defined and streamlined process for mutually recognising Trust Services between the EU and Third Countries.
The Representative of Albania elaborated on how to work towards their mission to enhance the level of security in electronic transaction in the domestic market, public and private online services, e-business and e-commerce.
The 'Women in Trust' panel discussion consisted of three brilliant, female trust services experts, enhancing the diversity and inclusion in Trust Services.
The Commission is keen on investing in this mission, by supporting Third Countries in their efforts.
For more details about the event, please consult the event page.
What's next?
Looking ahead, the European Commission aims to further expand collaborations with Third Countries to effectively progress towards mutual recognition in the framework of the eIDAS regulation. This effort seeks to enhance the security and efficiency of digital transactions between the EU and Third Countries while remaining adaptable to the evolving needs and emerging technologies.
Stay Informed about Future Events
To stay updated on future events and the progress of mutual recognition of trust services, sign up to receive updates via the following link:
The EC-3rd Countries Trust Services Forum has been an important occasion, which pioneered towards a greater trust and cooperation on the international stage. As we move forward, the collective efforts of public institutions, private entities, and industry experts will continue to shape the landscape of trust services, ensuring a secure and efficient digital future for all.
eDelivery: Recent Releases and Roadmap for the Future
eDelivery’s roadmap for 2023 includes several major updates of all three major eDelivery sample softwares – Domibus, DomiSML and DomiSMP.
In early February, Domibus 4.2.13 and 5.0.4 have been released, and a new version of eDelivery sample software Domibus 5.1 was published in March. Support for Domibus 4.2 has ended and users were strongly encouraged to upgrade. In addition, the team released DomiSMP 5.0 in June and DomiSML 4.2.1 in July.
Looking into the future, the team is preparing the release of DomiSML 4.3 for Q4 2023. The release of Domibus 6.0 has been postponed to the end of 2024. Instead, there will be an earlier update - Domibus 5.2. This minor update is going to be released in Q1 2024 and it will contain some of the features that were originally planned for Domibus 6.0.
The eDelivery team is looking forward to share even more updated sample software development plan after the summer.
The eDelivery Building Block
eDelivery is a building block that provides technical specifications and standards, installable software and ancillary services to allow projects to create a network of nodes for secure digital data exchange.
Domibus is the sample software provided by the European Commission to implement an eDelivery AS4 Access Point for the interoperable, secure and reliable data exchange. It is based on the eDelivery AS4 profile, an open technical specification for the secure, web-based, payload-agnostic exchange of data or documents.
DomiSMP is the sample software provided by the European Commission to implement an eDelivery Service Metadata Publisher for publishing and retrieving data necessary for an eDelivery party to dynamically configure its system for message exchange with counterparties using eDelivery. It is based on the eDelivery SMP profile, an open technical specification for publishing service metadata within a 4-corner network.
DomiSML is the sample software provided by the European Commission to implement an eDelivery Service Metadata Locator for an eDelivery party to discover the URLs of other counterparties using eDelivery Access Points and their corresponding metadata. It is based on the eDelivery BDXL profile, an open technical specification for locating Access Points within a network, and on the PEPPOL SML Specification, a technical specification defining a BDXL administration API.
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
New eDelivery Conformance Testing Platform Available
The new eDelivery Conformance Testing service, based on Interoperability Test Bed – a solution offered by the European Commission to facilitate the conformance testing of IT systems – has been launched last May 2023. It has already received positive feedback from stakeholders during a preview-presentation at the eDelivery Interoperability Forum in May 2023. The new generation eDelivery Conformance Testing service was developed in a joint effort by the eDelivery and the Interoperable Europe teams.
The new testing platform allows a faster turnaround when running the conformance tests as it allows users to carry out and troubleshoot the tests independently, with limited additional support from the eDelivery team. The new service also ensures a modern, more user-friendly user interface, enabling to run the tests in a more comfortable environment. Upon launch, the new system supports the same conformance tests as legacy one for the eDelivery AS4 profile. More tests will be added over time to ensure an even stronger conformance of the solutions with the eDelivery Common Profile as well as to support the testing of the profile enhancements currently absent from the platform (the Dynamic Sender, Dynamic Receiver, Pull Enhancement and Large Message Splitting and Joining). As the new platform is not only more user-friendly, but also more developer-friendly, these new tests will be implemented at a faster pace.
Apart from a growing community of eDelivery users, since 2016 there has been a constant increase of eDelivery AS4 conformant solutions. A conformant solution is a product offered by organisations or companies (third parties) to support eDelivery users. The goal of the eDelivery Conformance Testing service is to verify that an implementation of the eDelivery specifications, a software package either commercial or open source, conforms to the specifications of the eDelivery – either the eDelivery AS4 profile and/or the eDelivery SMP profile. The eDelivery service provides ready-to-use test cases, a testing platform, and support for the users during the entire testing process.
The previous conformance testing platform, called Minder, allowed for conformance testing of the eDelivery AS4 profile 1.15 Common Profile, two (out of six) profile enhancements, the ENTSOG usage profile and the eDelivery SMP profile 1.10. While the new platform initially contains the same tests and conformance statements as the current platform for the eDelivery AS4 profile, it will evolve over the next years to support the four missing profile enhancements and eventually the upcoming new eDelivery AS4 2.0 and SMP 2.0 specifications.
Overall, the new conformance testing platform represents a significant step forward for the eDelivery ecosystem and reinforces the commitment to build a vibrant eDelivery market outside the solutions provided by the building block itself. With its user-friendly interface and ability to accommodate evolving specifications, this platform promises to be an invaluable tool for eDelivery solution providers going forward.
You can read more about eDelivery Conformance Testing and find more information about the service on this page.
Stay tuned for the latest updates on the eDelivery services by checking the building block's twitter and web page. For more information, do not hesitate to register for personalised news or contact us via our portal or by e-mail: EC-EDELIVERY-SUPPORT@ec.europa.eu.
The eDelivery Building Block
eDelivery is a building block that provides technical specifications and standards, installable software and ancillary services to allow projects to create a network of nodes for secure digital data exchange.
The eDelivery Conformance Testing service allows testing software products and services against the eDelivery specifications. The technical specifications are translated into test assertions, which are the main unit for testing and reporting the conformance of an implementation. Based on the test assertions, test cases are derived and implemented on the test platform in the form of executable test scripts. An implementation can only pass the conformance testing process in case all mandatory test assertions have been successfully completed. The outcome of the test execution is documented in a test report which is published alongside the name of the product in the pages displaying the eDelivery conformant solutions (AS4, SMP).
Photo by Ferenc Almasi on Unsplash
Your views are important: consultation on AS4 2.0 and SMP 2.0
The launch of Public Consultations
The eDelivery team is opening two Public Consultations on the new draft Specifications of the eDelivery AS4 profile 2.0 and eDelivery SMP profile 2.0. The proposed changes have already been presented in early May 2023 during the eDelivery Informal Cooperation Forum (slides available here) and now members of the eDelivery community are invited to share their views, comments and suggestions on both proposals before the specifications are finalised and published (the next step of eDelivery Specification Change Process – see the visual below).
The community is invited to either post its feedback as comments on the public consultation pages linked underneath or send it by email to EC-EDELIVERY-SUPPORT@ec.europa.eu by the 10th November 2023. After this date there is no certainty that proposed changes or suggestions could be implemented in the specifications, which should be published by the end of the year.
For the AS4 2.0 Draft Specification please post your comments here or send them to EC-EDELIVERY-SUPPORT@ec.europa.eu with [eDelivery AS4 profile version 2.0] in the title of the email.
For the SMP 2.0 Draft Specification please post your comments here or send them to EC-EDELIVERY-SUPPORT@ec.europa.eu with [eDelivery SMP profile version 2.0] in the title of the email.
(Please note that the Draft Specification consultation page can only be accessed with EU Login)
The received feedback and its assessment will be presented in the eDelivery Interoperability Forum on the 28th November 2023. The final approval and publication of the consultation reports should happen towards the end of 2023. Following the publication, eDelivery implementations will need to be adapted and conformance tested over a period of at least one year before the new specifications can be effectively used by projects.
Draft Specifications of the eDelivery AS4 and eDelivery SMP profiles 2.0
The version of the new Draft Specification of the eDelivery AS4 profile 2.0 has updates for the security section, where more state-of-the art protocols and algorithms are introduced, and two new Profile Enhancements are proposed, one introducing ebCore Agreement Update and one supporting alternative curves and algorithms for encryption and digital signing. The changes are detailed on both the Public Consultation and new Draft Specification pages. This new Draft Specification marks a backwards-incompatible evolution of the profile, where Access Points operating with profile version 2.0 cannot exchange messages with Access Points operating with profile version 1.x.
The new Draft Specification of the eDelivery SMP profile 2.0 is equally backwards-incompatible, where SMP data compatible with profile version 2.0 cannot be consumed by legacy clients. It supports OASIS SMP version 2.0, allows publishing multiple certificates (signing, encryption and key exchange) for a transport and supports both eDelivery AS4 profiles 1.x and 2.0. One can read more about the proposed changes on both the Public Consultation and new Draft Specification pages.
The two proposed Draft Specifications were designed to work together.
Stay tuned for the latest updates on the eDelivery services by checking the building block's twitter and web page. For more information, do not hesitate to register for personalised news or contact us via our portal or by e-mail: EC-EDELIVERY-SUPPORT@ec.europa.eu.
The eDelivery Building Block
eDelivery is a building block that provides technical specifications and standards, installable software and ancillary services to allow projects to create a network of nodes for secure digital data exchange.
Domibus is the sample software provided by the European Commission to implement an eDelivery AS4 Access Point for the interoperable, secure and reliable data exchange. It is based on the eDelivery AS4 profile, an open technical specification for the secure, web-based, payload-agnostic exchange of data or documents.
DomiSMP is the sample software provided by the European Commission to implement an eDelivery Service Metadata Publisher for publishing and retrieving data necessary for an eDelivery party to dynamically configure its system for message exchange with counterparties using eDelivery. It is based on the eDelivery SMP profile, an open technical specification for publishing service metadata within a 4-corner network.
DomiSML is the sample software provided by the European Commission to implement an eDelivery Service Metadata Locator for an eDelivery party to discover the URLs of other counterparties using eDelivery Access Points and their corresponding metadata. It is based on the eDelivery BDXL profile, an open technical specification for locating Access Points within a network, and on the PEPPOL SML Specification, a technical specification defining a BDXL administration API.