SMP specifications

In an eDelivery network, IT systems must know how to reach each other and what communication capabilities they support before messages can be exchanged.

The Service Metadata Publisher (SMP) specifications define how this technical information is published and retrieved in a standard and discoverable way, enabling interoperable and secure communication between participants.

What is the eDelivery SMP profile?

The eDelivery SMP profile is an open technical specification for publishing and retrieving service metadata. It supports both point-to-point exchanges and four-corner network topologies.

Service metadata typically includes:

• Which Access Point an organisation uses
• Which document types or message types it can receive
• Which transport and security settings are supported

This information is made available through an SMP service, which can be queried by other participants before initiating message exchange.

The eDelivery SMP profile defines the request and response interactions between a client looking up communication and capability information and an SMP service publishing metadata for a participant.

Current versions

The eDelivery SMP specifications exist in two generations:

• SMP 1.x, which has been widely adopted and in operational use for many years across multiple ecosystems
• SMP 2.x, adopted in December 2024, which builds on the existing model and introduces structural and operational improvements

Both generations remain relevant: SMP 1.x is currently the most widely deployed version, while SMP 2.x is expected to be progressively adopted by ecosystems and products over the coming years.

For previous versions, see Archive eDelivery SMP.

Underlying standard

The eDelivery SMP profiles are based on the Service Metadata Publishing standard developed by OASIS (version 1.0 and version 2.0). The eDelivery specifications profile this standard to ensure its consistent and interoperable use within eDelivery networks.

The original PEPPOL SMP specification was an important reference in the evolution of the eDelivery SMP profile.

Benefits and features

eDelivery SMP 2.x

SMP 2.x was adopted in December 2024 and aligns with the broader evolution of the eDelivery 2.0 specification set.

Key characteristics and benefits include:

• Alignment with the OASIS SMP 2.0 standard
• Clearer and more robust metadata structures
• Improved handling of certificates and cryptographic material
• Better support for modern security practices
• Consistency with other eDelivery 2.x profiles

SMP 2.x is intended to support long-term evolution of eDelivery ecosystems and is expected to be progressively adopted by products and networks over the coming years.

eDelivery SMP 1.x

SMP 1.x has been the stable and widely deployed SMP generation for several years and remains in active use across many eDelivery ecosystems.

Key characteristics and benefits include:

• Proven interoperability across large, cross-border networks
• Stable and well-understood metadata structures
• Operational maturity based on years of production use

• Update of communication settings without disrupting the network

• Allows eDelivery networks to grow and evolve while remaining interoperable and predictable

SMP 1.x continues to be suitable for running ecosystems and remains fully supported within the eDelivery framework.

How SMP fits into the eDelivery framework

SMP works together with the other eDelivery profiles:

• ebCore Party ID defines how a network participant is uniquely identified
• BDXL defines how Access Points locate the Service Metadata Publisher (SMP) responsible for that identifier
• SMP defines how service metadata is structured and published for that participant
• AS4 defines how an Access Point exchanges messages securely, possibly relying on BDXL and SMP to dynamically discover the details of the recipient

Stay informed about specification updates

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