Updates to eDelivery AS4 2.0 and SMP 2.0 profiles & new eDelivery BDXL 2.0 profile
Update March 2023: added BDXL and ebCore Pary Id 2.0 specifications.
The eDelivery AS4 2.0 and SMP 2.0 draft specifications have been updated to reflect comments received during the 2023 public consultations on these specifications. In addition, the eDelivery team decided to offer a draft for the eDelivery BDXL 2.0 and ebCore Party Id 2.0 specifications. Look out for the upcoming consultation on all three eDelivery 2.0 profiles and find out about activities and support towards their adoption!
Response to the 2023 consultation
In June 2023, the eDelivery team called for a consultation on the AS4 and SMP 2.0 specifications. The initial draft specifications presented several key updates, including enhancements in security measures and support for newer technologies. Notably, the first draft of the AS4 profile 2.0 proposed the introduction of two profile enhancements, while the first draft of the SMP profile 2.0 included support for the latest OASIS SMP version 2.0, among other features. These updates signaled a backwards-incompatible evolution, where older versions of the profiles would not be interoperable with the newer ones.
The consultation aimed to gather feedback from stakeholders and experts to refine the specifications and ensure they meet the evolving needs of the digital ecosystems. Acknowledging the invaluable input received during the consultation process, the eDelivery team meticulously reviewed and addressed each comment and suggestion provided in response to the consultation. The disposition for public review comments is available online, showcasing the team's commitment to transparency and collaboration. The documents include the feedback from the eDelivery team on each comment individually:
- Consultation on the eDelivery AS4 profile version 2.0 public review comments and response
- Consultation on the eDelivery SMP profile version 2.0 public review comments and response
We would like to thank all participants for their input towards the consultations on the initial AS4 and SMP 2.0 draft specifications.
Proposed changes in the second draft of the new eDelivery profiles
The eDelivery AS4 2.0 second draft received several enhancements. First, it further modernised encryption by adopting a newer key derivation function for the key agreement algorithm, ensuring robust data protection during transmission. The profile also integrated additional curves for ECDSA cryptography. Lastly, the update streamlined the profile by removing the SBDH enhancement, resulting in better clarity.
The SMP 2.0 second draft also underwent updates. In line with the OASIS SMP 2.0 standard, it now recommends the use of a schemeID also when working with ebCore Party Identifiers and accommodates both the “::” and “:” separators when querying for SMP documents that follow this recommendation, providing more flexibility.
Importantly, a new eDelivery BDXL 2.0 draft was introduced to propose using the value “Meta:SMP2” for publishing links to OASIS SMP 2.0 documents. In addition, a new ebCore Party Id 2.0 draft was introduced to add a reference to SMP 2.0.
By incorporating these suggestions received via the public consultation as well as the internal evolution, the eDelivery team aims to ensure that the eDelivery suite of profiles meets the evolving needs of stakeholders and facilitates seamless data exchange in the digital landscape.
Updated draft specifications
Now, that the eDelivery team has meticulously addressed the feedback received during the public consultation, we are excited to present the updated eDelivery AS4 2.0 and SMP 2.0 specifications as well as the BDXL 2.0 and ebCore Party Id 2.0 specifications. Click on the links to view the draft specifications on the eDelivery website, and expand the textbox to read what has changed since the 2023 working drafts for the AS4 2.0 and SMP 2.0 versions and view changes compared to BDXL 1.7 and ebCore Pary Id 1.4 (the current version).
Updated eDelivery AS4 2.0 draft specification | |
eDelivery BDXL 2.0 draft specification | |
eDelivery ebCore Party Id 2.0 draft specification |
Adoption in 2024
To foster inclusivity and address any potential concerns on the draft of the latest profiles, we will invite you to participate in a public consultation on these updates soon - look out for the news! The final publication of the version 2.0 of the eDelivery profiles will conclude the Specification Change Process and is expected soon after the second consultation.
We recommend that EC colleagues operating or preparing eDelivery-based ecosystems as well as eDelivery solution providers plan their adoption of the new specifications starting from now. Read about how eDelivery will support the adoption of these updated profiles. Exciting events, inclusive meetings and an interoperability event are on the horizon as we take a step into the future with eDelivery in 2024.
Stay tuned for the latest updates on eDelivery services by checking the Building Block's X 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.