COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN CQMVIUNITIES 
COM(90) 361 final 
Brussels,25 July 1990 
TEDIS PROGRAMME 1988-1989 
Activity Report 
(presented by the Commission) 

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 
On 5 October 1987 the Council decided to set up a programme on trade electronic data 
interchange, using communications networks (TEDIS) 0) 
This two-year programme took effect on 1 January 1988 and was allocated a budget of 
ECU 5.3 million. 
The original decision on the programme was amended by the Council (2) to allow the 
Community to conclude agreements with non-Community countries, notably members of 
the European Free Trade Association with a view to their full or partial association with 
the programme. These agreements with the EFTA Member States were concluded in 
December 1989 and approved by the Council Decisions of 21 December 1989 (3). 
This report, explicitly provided for in Article 8 of the Decision, covers the activities under 
the TEDIS programme in 1988 and 1989 in accordance with the aims set out in Article 3 of 
that Decision. 
1 Decision 87/499/EEC - OJ L 285, 8.10.1987, p. 35. 
2 Decision 89/241/EEC - OJ L 97, 11.4.1989, p 46. 
3 Decisions 89/689/EEC (Austria), 89/690/EEC (Finland), 89/691/EEC (Iceland), 89/692/EEC 
(Norway), 89/693/EEC (Sweden) and 89/694/EEC (Switzerland) - OJ L 400, 30.12.1989. 

CONTENTS 
Summary 
1. Background 
2. 1988-89 work programme 
2.1 Coordination 
2.2 Awareness 
3. Coordination activities 
3.1 Coordination of existing EDI activities 
3.2 Standardization of EDI messages 
3.3 EDI and telecommunications 
3.4 Legal aspects of EDI 
3.5 EDI message security 
3.6 Software suitable for EDI 
3.7 Conformity of EDI messages and software 
4. Awareness campaigns 
4.1 Study of awareness of EDI 
4.2 Support to small and medium-sized enterprises 
4.3 Participation in conferences and exhibitions 
4.4 Publications / Material 
4.5 Information 
5. Conclusion 
ANNEXES 

-1 -
SUMMARY 
On 5 October 1987 the Council decided to set up a Community programme on trade 
electronic data interchange systems, using communications networks (TEDIS)(1 ). 
This two-year programme took effect on 1 January 1988 and was allocated a budget of 
ECU 5.3 million. The original decision on the programme was amended by the Council 
Decision 89/241 /EEC (2) to allow the Community to conclude agreements with non-
Community countries, notably members of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) 
with a view to their full or partial association with the programme. These agreements with 
the EFTA Member States were concluded in December 1989 and approved by the Council 
Decisions of 21 December 1989 (3). 
TEDIS has coordinated a number of projects launched at the initiative of various sectors of 
European industry with the aim of implementing EDI, such as ODETTE, CEFIC-EDI, 
Edicice, EAN-COM, RINET, TEDIS Transport Group, etc. TEDIS has provided logistical 
support for these industrial groupings and encourages the transfer of information between 
them. These sectors have common concerns for the introduction of EDI. TEDIS is 
designed to address both kinds: sectoral concerns using vertical measures and intersectoral 
concerns using horizontal measures. 
The TEDIS programme has made a substantial contribution to the unification of standards 
by its support to EDIFACT. Through the secretariat of the EDIFACT Board, TEDIS has 
helped to encourage work on bringing international standards on EDI into line, by taking 
an active part and giving its support to the work of the Western European EDIFACT 
Board. The Commission EDIFACT Board Information System (CEBIS) has also been 
developed under the programme, to assist the work of the EDIFACT Board. It is planned 
to make part of the information contained in CEBIS available to EDI users via the public 
telecommunications network on the Commission's ECHO host computer. 
Under the TEDIS programme, 
- the telecommunications needs expressed by EDI users have been identified. EDI makes 
new demands on the existing networks in terms of interconnection, interaction and 
integration. TEDIS has encouraged CCITT work on the development of an MHS 
protocol specific to EDI. 
- the requirements linked to the legal recognition and security of EDI messages (4) have 
been identified. A comparative analysis of the legal situation of the Member States with 
regard to EDI was carried out. The report on this analysis concludes that the need for 
written evidence constitutes a major barrier, mainly in transport, payment techniques 
and the settlement of disputes. 
1 Decision 87/499/EEC - OJ L 285, 8.10.1987, p. 35. 
2 OJ L 97, 11.4.1989, p. 46. 
3 Decisions 89/689/EEC (Austria), 89/690/EEC (Finland), 89/691/EEC (Iceland), 89/692/EEC 
(Norway), 89/693/EEC (Sweden) and 89/694/EEC (Switzerland) - OJ L 400, 30.12.1989. 
EDI MESSAGE: a set of data (commercial, administrative, technical or other), structured and 
ordered in accordance with standards approved by a recognised standards body, for electronic 
transmission, in a form which allows automatic reading and processing by a computer and 
unambiguous interpretation. 
-2 
- as regards the security of EDI messages, account has been taken of important work 
carried out under other Community programmes (Esprit and RACE) or as part of 
activities outside the Commission. TEDIS has taken part in particular in an important 
study of needs for security standards in open networks. It seems that new functions must 
be defined in this area, namely the authentication of correspondents exchanging an EDI 
message, the integrity of EDI messages, and the non-repudiation of EDI messages. 
- three workshops were held, each involving 50 European experts, the first on 
telecommunications, the second on legal aspects and the third on EDI message security. 
The reports of these workshops were published and widely circulated. The workshops 
identified certain areas for priority work, as published in an invitation to tender in 
September 1989. 
- conformity to the EDIFACT international standard of EDI messages and software 
suitable for EDI has also received special attention. Similarly, TEDIS has also 
encouraged the development of EDIFACT message conversion software. 
- user awareness campaigns have been conducted. These include in particular: 
. a survey of the level of knowledge and use of EDI. This survey endorses the idea 
that a chain of relay stations should be set up for Community action at national level; 
. involvement in numerous conferences and exhibitions concerning EDI 
. the first TEDIS conference, held in Brussels in July 1989, which brought together 
over 200 people from industry, administration and government departments in all 
the Member States. The proceedings of this conference were published and widely 
circulated; 
. the publication of a summary on each of the horizontal activities of the TEDIS 
programme; 
. the publication, in the nine Community languages, of an introductory manual on the 
use of EDI; 
. the production of a video tape explaining EDI and the TEDIS programme, available 
in all Community languages. Another video is planned to explain the 
UN/EDIFACT standard and its use in the implementation of EDI systems. 
- pilot applications, in the form of twelve projects involving small and medium-sized 
enterprises, have been launched and coordinated. These pilot EDI projects undertake to 
comply with the EDIFACT and OSI international standards. 
TEDIS has sown the seeds of a process which must run to its full term if it is to bear fruit. 
3-
1. BACKGROUND 
On 5 October 1987 the Council decided to set up a Community programme on trade 
electronic data interchange, using communications networks (TEDIS) (Decision 
87/499/EEC - OJ L 285, 8.10.1987) 
The TEDIS programme (Trade Electronic Data Interchange Systems) began on 1 
January 1988; it was to cover a period of two years and was allocated a budget of ECU 
5.3 million for that period. 
The programme had two main aims: 
- to coordinate work on the development of trade electronic data interchange systems; 
- to alert potential users and European hardware manufacturers and software houses. 
On 5 April 1989 the Council amended the original Decision on the TEDIS programme 
to allow non-Community countries, notably members of the European Free Trade 
Association (EFTA) to be associated with the TEDIS programme (Decision 
89/241/EEC - OJ L 97, 11.4.1989) and authorized the Commission to negotiate 
agreements with EFTA Member States. 
Participation agreements with EFTA Member States were then prepared and were 
approved by the Council on 21 December 1989 (1). In particular, these participation 
agreements provide, in case of the adoption of a new TEDIS programme, for their tacit 
renewal for the duration of the programme, except where terminated by one of the 
contracting parties within three months of the adoption of the new programme. 
1 Decisions 89/689/EEC (Austria), 89/690/EEC (Finland), 89/691/EEC (Iceland), 89/692/EEC 
(Norway), 89/693/EEC (Sweden) and 89/694/EEC (Switzerland) - OJ L 400, 30.12.1989. 
2. 1988-89 WORK PROGRAMME 
2.1 As regards coordination, the TEDIS programme has been developed on the basis 
of a grid model, with horizontal and vertical activities. 
The vertical activities correspond to the sectoral groups which are endeavouring to 
set up EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) systems involving more than one 
Member State and complying with such international and/or European standards 
as exist. 
The horizontal activities relate to the concerns of all (or nearly all) the sectoral 
projects during their development. They are as follows: 
standardization of EDI messages (1) 
specific telecommunications requirements of EDI, 
legal aspects of EDI, 
security of EDI messages, 
suitable software for EDI, 
conformity of EDI messages and software to international and/or European 
standards. 
2.2 The awareness activities involve: 
. the launching of pilot projects on the introduction and use of EDI by small and 
medium-sized enterprises, 
. support to conferences and exhibitions on EDI, 
. publication of a series of documents and production of other media, 
. a survey on knowledge and use of EDI in Europe. 
EDI MESSAGE: a set of data (commercial, administrative, technical or other), structured and 
ordered in accordance with standards approved by a recognised standards body, for electronic 
transmission, in a form which allows automatic reading and processing by a computer and 
unambiguous interpretation. 
-5 
3. COORDINATION ACTIVITIES 
3.1 Coordination of existing EDI activities 
This mainly concerns national committees for the simplification of trade 
procedures (Compros), and the European industrial sectors involved in the 
introduction of EDI. 
Thus the TEDIS programme has forged close ties with the various Compros, 
namely: 
SITPRO (Simplification of International Trade Procedures Board) in the United 
Kingdom, 
SIMPROFRANCE (Comité Français pour la Simplification des Procédures du 
Commerce International) in France, 
DEUPRO (AusschuB fur die Vereinfachung internationaler Handelsverfahren in 
der Europàischen Gemeinschaft) in the Federal Republic of Germany, 
SITPRONETH (Body for Simplification of Trade Procedures in the Netherlands), 
SITPROCOM (Comité belge pour la simplification des procédures du commerce 
international) in Belgium, 
SIMPRO-ESPANA (Comité para la Simplification de procedimientos de 
Comercio) in Spain, 
DANPRO (Danish Committee on Trade Procedures). 
Contacts have also taken place with similar bodies in EFTA Member States: 
SWEPRO (Sweden), FINPRO (Finland), etc. 
Twice or three times a year these bodies meet to inform one another about their 
work; TEDIS has been represented each time in order to coordinate initiatives on 
EDI. 
Furthermore, an "EDIFORUM" has been set up in a number of Member States, 
notably EDIFORUM Nederland, EDIFORUM Italia and EDIFRANCE; good 
relations have been established with these. 
Details of these organizations are given in Annex A. 
Contacts have also been established with a number of chambers of commerce and 
trade associations. 
The coordination of sectoral projects has been one of the major concerns over this 
two-year period. Several sectoral projects wanted to work under the aegis of the 
Commission and the TEDIS programme in particular. The longest-standing is the 
ODETTE project which concerns the European motor industry. Others then 
followed: 
. CEFIC-EDI in the chemical industry, 
. EDIFICE in the electronics and computer industries, 
. EAN-COM in distribution and retail trade, 
. RINET in reinsurance. 
6-
A brief description of the sectoral projects monitored under TEDIS is given in 
Annex B. 
As regards transport, TEDIS not only coordinates this sector with other branches 
of industry but also handles coordination within this fairly complex area. 
TEDIS also has contacts with the banking sector, but it has not actually set up an 
EDI project or programme at Community level. EDI activity in banks is 
nevertheless very considerable but takes place rather on the initiative of one bank 
or a small group of banks. Other sectoral projects have asked for TEDIS support 
and will be launched during 1990, namely: 
. OEDIPE (Organisation des Echanges de Documents Informatisés entre les 
Producteurs d'Energie et leurs fournisseurs); 
. EMEDI (European Medical Electronic Data Interchange) in the field of health 
care which links major British (NHS), French and Dutch partners; 
. EDIRON which aims to improve the competitiveness of the European steel 
industry by bringing under control the flows of information between companies 
in these sectors; 
. EDIFURN in the furniture sector. 
Thus more than ten important industrial sectors are closely associated with the 
TEDIS programme which gives them logistical support and encourages the 
dissemination of information between them. The support of the TEDIS 
programme is conditional on the observance and application of such international 
and European standards as exist, in particular the recommendations of the United 
Nations Economic Commission for Europe in the field of international trade 
procedures. 
All the groups mentioned above have undertaken to use the EDIFACT standard 
(Electronic Data Interchange For Administration, Commerce and Transport) and 
are taking an active part in the standardization and development of EDI trade 
messages. 
3.2 Standardization of EDI messages 
3.2.1 EDIFACT 
Since 1986 the Commission of the European Communities has encouraged 
work on bringing international standards on EDI into line. All this work has 
taken place under the aegis of the United Nations Economic Commission for 
Europe (Working Party No 4). 
-7-
In September 1986 the work led to the adoption of the EDIFACT international 
standard (ISO 9735). It should be stressed that this remarkable result was 
achieved in eighteen months and under pressure from users only. In addition to 
the UN/EDIFACT syntax rules, the EDI community now has at its disposal the 
trade data elements directory (TDED), message design guidelines for 
EDIFACT and the UN/EDIFACT syntax implementation guide. Note that the 
TDED was already an international standard (ISO 7372). 
At present, all standardization work in this field is concentrated on the 
coordinated development of EDI messages. In order to ensure this coordinated 
development, three UN/EDIFACT rapporteurs have been appointed: one for 
North America, one for Eastern Europe and one for Western Europe. The 
rapporteur for Western Europe has set up an EDIFACT Board whose main 
task is to coordinate EDI message development work in the Community and 
EFTA Member States. 
The Western European EDIFACT Board consists of the Board itself, the 
Steering Committee, a secretariat, six EDI message development groups, two 
technical groups (the Technical Assessment Group and the Maintenance 
Advisory Group) and groups responsible for documentation and awareness of 
EDIFACT work <1). 
The Commission of the European Communities, via the TEDIS programme, 
runs the secretariat of the Western European EDIFACT Board. The EFTA 
Member States take an active part in the work of the secretariat. It consists 
mainly of coordinating the EDI message development work and providing the 
technical support needed for the smooth running of the work. This task is 
essential since it consists of providing all the support needed by some 250 
experts in industry or administration who take an active part in the work of the 
various EDI message development groups within the Western European 
EDIFACT Board. 
By the end of 1989 over 50 EDI messages were under development in the fields 
of trade, transport, customs, banking, insurance, tourism and construction. It is 
expected that some thirty of these EDI messages will have reached a "stable" 
state of development by the end of 1990 and will thus constitute the critical 
mass necessary for operational use of the EDIFACT standard. These will cover 
the most important procedures used internationally in all economic and public 
sectors, from basic industry to services and administration. 
The organization of the Western European Edifact Board is set out in Annex C. 
CEN is giving its full support to EDI standardization work. Indeed, TDED and 
EDIFACT are already international standards and have now become European 
standards (EN 27372 and EN 29735). Moreover, in September 1989, CEN 
granted the Western European EDIFACT Board the special status of 
"Associated Body", thus acknowledging its competence and authority as regards 
EDI standardization in Europe. 
3.2.2 CEBIS 
CEBIS is the acronym of the Commission EDIFACT Board Information 
System. It is a multi-user information system, designed and developed by the 
Commission under the TEDIS programme so as to provide technical support 
for the development, assessment and maintenance of EDI messages conceived 
under the supervision of the Western European EDIFACT Board. 
CEBIS contains all the EDI data elements, segments and messages approved at 
meetings of working party No 4 (WP4) of the UNECE in Geneva. In addition, 
CEBIS also contains all the new or amended versions of these EDI data 
elements, segments or messages devised between official WP4 meetings. 
CEBIS is a flexible system which can adapt to the evolving EDIFACT 
international standard. It has become an essential development and reference 
tool for the EDI message development groups (MD). In particular, it facilitates 
cooperation between these development groups by allowing any group to 
consult and possibly use the data developed by another group. Moreover, a 
range of different printout presentations facilitates the work of developing EDI 
messages. CEBIS can also be used to measure the effect of a change proposed 
by one group on the EDI messages under development by the other groups. 
EDI users do not have direct access to CEBIS. In the initial stage, however, 
they may be provided with diskette copies of the EDI messages which have 
reached a sufficiently stable state and been approved by the EDIFACT Board, 
so that they can be used without much risk of subsequent alteration. 
In order to improve the service to users, there are plans to allow them, early in 
1990, to interrogate the Commission's ECHO host in Luxembourg via the X.25 
public telecommunications network. This will allow them to transfer the data 
stored in the ECHO host computer to their own computers. EDI users will thus 
have access to the latest version of stable, approved EDI messages. 
-9 
3.3 EDI and telecommunications 
EDI does not require new telecommunications networks to be developed, but does 
make new demands on the existing networks. TEDIS collects the 
telecommunications needs expressed by EDI users and passes them on to 
European telecommunications policy-makers. 
Several sectoral projects, such as ODETTE, CEFIC-EDI, EDIFICE and the 
transport project, have set up their own groups to examine telecommunications 
issues relating to EDI. TEDIS has coordinated the work of these groups and 
where necessary has passed on users' requirements to the groups or organizations 
responsible for taking the relevant decisions. The potential volume of EDI traffic 
is unknown, but it is nevertheless clear to users that the existing data networks 
cannot provide the level of service required by the EDI community. The X.25 
options have not been implemented everywhere in the same way; the capacity of 
the international lines is insufficient. Charges vary considerably from one country 
to another and are calculated on the basis of criteria which are sometimes quite 
different; this applies equally to public data networks and leased lines. TEDIS has 
also been in contact with: 
. the SOGT (Senior Officials Group on Telecommunications) and the GAP 
(Analysis and Forecasting Group), 
. the SOGITS (Senior Officials Group for Information Technology Standards), 
. the CEPT (European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications 
Administrations) and its CAC (Commercial Action Committee). 
TEDIS activities on telecommunications have concentrated on the promotion and 
implementation of existing standards and protocols. TEDIS has'thus supported 
the demonstration activities of the information technology suppliers (Eurosinet) 
and the main users (Ositop); these activities were aimed at including an EDI 
management model based on EDIFACT in their range of products. These 
activities, beginning with the promotion of X.400 products for EDI, will in future 
cover X.500 and FTAM options. 
TEDIS has also taken part in CCITT work with the aim of developing the P(edi) 
protocol in X.400 standardization, thus allowing X.400 and the EDIFACT 
standard to be integrated. Pending the final outcome of the CCITT work, TEDIS 
has recommended the P2 approach as an intermediate solution. This 
recommendation has been well received by suppliers and users. TEDIS is closely 
monitoring progress on X.500 products and FTAM. 
In the medium term, it is necessary to coordinate the introduction of the various 
ISDNs (Integrated Services Digital Networks) which are gradually being installed 
in Europe and ensure that they are properly suited for carrying EDIFACT 
messages. ETSI (European Telecommunication Standard Institute) which is 
currently preparing the European ISDN standards, will shortly be tackling this and 
TEDIS will be associated with the work. 
10 
Moreover, EDI also shows the importance of the development of ONP (Open 
Network Provision) in Europe. Users must be able to choose among providers of 
services, without having to worry about different standards at the interfaces to 
these networks. The adoption of the Directive on ONP will allow the development 
of a harmonized and competitive European telecommunications infrastructure, 
which is a prerequisite for the development of EDI. 
The liberalization of the market in telecommunications services makes it 
particularly important to have precise information on the size and growth of the 
markets relating to these services. Taking special account of EDI, TEDIS gave its 
support to a quite comprehensive study entitled "Analysis of the European market 
of value added services and associated market research". This study is expected to 
provide a valuable basis for promoting the use of EDI in Europe and for making 
the necessary telecommunications infrastructures available to users. Furthermore, 
this study revealed the inadequacy of the technical and commercial infrastructures 
essential for widespread use of EDI. 
Finally, in June 1989 TEDIS held a workshop on telecommunications issues. It 
emerged that there was an urgent need to succeed in interconnecting the 
networks; this is more of a commercial problem than a technical one. It was 
suggested that a forum of value-added networks should be set up so as to promote 
the idea of a one-stop office in Europe. The Commission was also asked to 
recommend the use of standards for user interfaces as well as for EDI messages 
and telecommunications, thus allowing small and medium-sized enterprises to 
adopt EDI more easily. 
The proceedings of the "EDI-Telecom" workshop were published and widely 
circulated (1). 
3.4 Legal aspects of EDI 
The legal status of EDI messages, their contractual validity and value as evidence 
will be crucial factors for the development of EDI in both the commercial and 
public sectors. 
Thus the first activities of TEDIS in this area consisted of identifying, delimiting 
and defining the legal areas which might constitute obstacles to EDI. 
Among the legal issues which could pose difficulties to EDI were various 
requirements arising out of regulations or practices which resulted essentially from 
a predominance of the written medium and the handwritten signature. All 
obligations to issue, transmit or keep documents on paper or with a signature are 
obviously barriers to EDI. 
The references of the proceedings are given in Annex D. 
- li­
lt was therefore decided to put out an initial invitation to tender on the legal 
situation of the Member States with regard to trade electronic data interchange, 
with the aim of drawing up a report, on the basis of a comparative study, on the 
obligations to issue, transmit or keep documents on paper or with a handwritten 
signature for legal reasons in the various Member States. This invitation to tender 
was put out in April 1988. The study was actually able to begin at the end of 
September 1988 and was completed in 1989. A final report was submitted; the 
report will be published and circulated from January 1990 (1). 
The report examines the legislation of the European Community Member States 
with two kinds of approach: 
. a vertical approach involving an analysis of the legislation of each Member 
State; 
. a horizontal approach, analysing the constraints in the various legal systems 
related to the obligations to draw up written documents on paper and with a 
signature. 
The analysis was oriented towards these latter requirements, the predominance of 
writing and handwritten signatures having been identified as a priority matter. 
The results of the study allowed a typology of current constraints to be established. 
They are essentially of three kinds: 
. those involving obligations to draw up, issue, send or keep documents on paper, 
with a signature, for reasons relating to the validity of the legal instrument 
concerned or the validity of evidence; 
. obstacles related to the requirements of evidence, which can be viewed from the 
standpoint of continental or common law; 
. difficulties relating to the determination of the time and place of the conclusion 
of operations carried out by EDI. 
The report concludes that there is a major barrier in the form of the need for 
written evidence (ad solemnitatem) essentially in the fields of transport, payment 
techniques (cheque, bill of exchange, letter of credit), and the settlement of 
disputes (though international agreements have solved some of the problems in 
this area). 
Taking account of the agreements reached with the EFTA Member States, there 
are plans to extend the analysis to those countries. The resulting report should be 
available late in 1990. 
The references are given in Annex D. 
3) 
- 12-
Besides the "awareness" activities consisting of presentations on legal aspects and 
taking part in conferences or seminars, one of the important activities carried out 
throughout the initial programme was the coordination of the work of the various 
legal working parties set up by the European projects. To this end, the 
Commission has taken part in the meetings of the legal working parties of these 
various projects. Such working parties have been set up by ODETTE, CEFIC and 
the TEDIS transport group. 
Coordination has also involved taking part in meetings held by the legal advisory 
group of the EDI Association in the United Kingdom (EDIA-UK). In particular 
during 1988 this group prepared and in 1989 completed a "Model Interchange 
Agreement". Cooperation with this advisory group has proved extremely useful 
for establishing and maintaining contacts with the United Kingdom and for 
monitoring the development of "Interchange Agreements". 
At present there are several "Interchange Agreements" and many agreements of 
this type between large enterprises. The Commission is drafting a standard 
agreement with the cooperation of the legal experts working in the legal working 
parties of the sectoral projects or of EDIA-UK. 
We would also mention that in June 1989 three TEDIS workshops were held, 
including one on legal issues. Four themes were covered in the presentations and 
debates: 
. conclusion/formation of contracts and EDI; 
. liability in an EDI environment; 
. the impact of data-protection legislation on EDI; 
. electronic notary. 
A report was produced on each of these themes and circulated by the Commission 
Finally, an invitation to tender was published in the OJ of 7 September 1989 
concerning the following fields in particular: 
. contract formation, 
. liability of network operators, 
. trusted third-parties and similar services, 
. model interchange agreements. 
A description of the subjects covered is given in Annex E. 
The work in this area will be carried out in 1990. 
The references of these proceedings are given in Annex D. 
13 
3.5 EDI message security 
TEDIS also involves activities regarding EDI security and confidentiality in 
general and, more specifically, activities related to the security and confidentiality 
of the EDI messages themselves. 
In 1988 the Senior Officials Group for Information Technology Standards (SOGITS) 
asked the Commission, especially DG XIII, to commission a study on security 
needs in open networks used in a commercial and administrative context, taking 
special account of standardization aspects. 
EDI has been identified as the most important user base of open networks. A 
survey was carried out during the summer of 1988 with a view to identifying the 
needs of EDI users and what was available from service providers in terms of EDI 
security. Their replies clearly expressed the need to set up a standardization 
programme to take account of the following technical factors: 
User . authentication; 
. authorization to use services on a 
network, 
Message . integrity; 
. confidentiality/privacy; 
. security elements in EDI structures, 
Network . availability; 
. level of operational security, 
Tests . confirmation of receipt; 
. "auditability". 
Several hundred copies of the final report (1) were circulated to the members of 
SOGITS and SOGT, and to anyone interested in the subject matter. The final 
report was very well received by the members of SOGITS who had commissioned 
it. 
Although many EDI users had already understood the need for the security of 
EDI messages in their own environment, the need to take it into account in their 
activities at European level was not grasped immediately. 
In order to appreciate security issues, EDI users need a clear view of the way in 
which they are going to work in an open EDI environment. They also need 
common EDI terminology. 
Meetings of the ad hoc working party on EDI message security were held in 1988 
so as to explain to participants the problems of the sectoral projects, describe the 
means available now, and present solutions tested in particular contexts. 
SOGITS document reference No 303, 23.01.1989. 
14-
The banks have offered valuable support in this area; their experience and 
concern for the security of electronic funds transfer have proved extremely useful 
in clearly defining the functions needed. 
In June 1989, as for legal aspects and telecommunications, a workshop on EDI 
message security was also held. The report of the workshop was published and 
widely circulated (2). 
The aim of the workshop was to examine how the basic requirements for 
authentication, integrity and non-repudiation could be satisfied, from four points 
of view, i.e. the auditor/user, standardization groups, network service providers 
and internal computer system administrators. 
The workshop showed that there was a set of potential solutions which could 
satisfy these requirements. At the same time there was a need which could be 
satisfied by rationalizing the problem of facilitating choices and simplifying the 
implementation for users and service providers. 
The electronic signature and its use in connection with EDIFACT messages 
aroused a great deal of interest and will have to be examined in more detail. In 
general, security problems need to be solved in a dynamic and open environment, 
essential for the use of EDI. 
Based on the results of this workshop, an invitation to tender was published in the 
OJ of 7 September 1989 on the following aspects of EDI security: 
. standards to include security elements in EDI-based messages; 
. demonstration of electronic signatures; 
. production of a small user guide on EDI security; 
. publication of leaflets describing technology and current activities in the field of 
EDI security; 
. report setting out the general infrastructure required by services for security in 
an open EDI environment. 
The subjects covered are described in Annex E. 
Activities under this invitation to tender will be carried out in 1990. 
If EDI is actually to replace conventional mail, several basic functions will have to 
be guaranteed, namely authentication of the correspondent sending an EDI 
message, integrity of the EDI message, and non-repudiation of the EDI message. 
The use of electronic signatures could help to give users this mutual assurance. 
The references of these proceedings are given in Annex D. 
- 15 
3.6 Software suitable for EDI 
This relates in particular to EDIFACT message conversion software. 
The interchange of structured data between different types of computer requires 
conversion of application data from and to a common format. At present, 
software which is working or under development in various areas of activity does 
not seem to meet users' needs. 
The TEDIS programme has therefore just begun an analysis involving: 
. the assessment of needs and constraints for writing conversion software which 
complies with the EDIFACT standards and recommendations; 
. the drafting of a functional specification to enable such software to be 
developed and implemented in business and administration. 
A description of the subjects covered is given in Annex E. 
The results of the analysis will be available in the second half of 1990. 
3.7 Conformity of EDI messages and software 
There is a growing need for EDI messages which comply with the EDIFACT 
international standard. The same applies to software which complies with 
EDIFACT. However, users hesitate to take what they are currently offered; they 
would like products offered to have EDIFACT approval. Thus assessment and 
certification of conformity to EDIFACT would be likely to stimulate growth of the 
EDI market. Nevertheless it is essential that the validation of EDI messages and 
the certification of the software be considered as two separate, unrelated 
activities. 
In the near future EDI messages could be divided into three classes: 
. United Nations Standard EDI Messages (UNSMs); 
. European standard EDI messages (CEN messages); 
. Non-UNSM and non-CEN EDI messages. 
On this basis, conformity to EDIFACT refers to: 
. EDI messages which are UNSMs, CEN but non UNSMs, and those which are 
both non-CEN and non-UNSMs; 
. conversion software; 
. communications protocols used for transmitting EDI messages. 
16-
The work on conformity of conversion software and communications protocols will 
be carried out in close liaison with the CTS 2bis programme (Conformance 
Testing Services). Certification will be carried out by establishments authorized 
by the national coordination authority for testing in the field of information 
technology and for certification. The mutual recognition of conformity test 
reports and certificates will be ensured by the European Committee for IT Testing 
and Certification (ECITC). 
Following an invitation to tender under the CTS 2bis programme, a contract is at 
the discussion stage with a view to introducing EDIFACT conformity of 
conversion software and communications protocols. 
As for EDI messages, a preliminary analysis will be launched early in 1990 with a 
view to defining the technical and organizational aspects to be introduced to 
ensure conformity. The preliminary analysis will also have identify the difficulties 
and scenarios and estimate the costs of such an operation. The results of this 
preliminary analysis will be available by mid-1990. 
17 
4. AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS 
4.1 Survey of the level of knowledge and use of EDI 
In September 1988 a call for proposals was published in the Official Journal with a 
view to carrying out a survey of the current level of implementation, use and 
general awareness of electronic data interchange in all the Member States. 
Over a thousand interviews were conducted, giving a fairly accurate picture of the 
situation of EDI in the European Community. In particular the survey covered 
the finance, commerce, chemicals and transport sectors in France, West Germany, 
Italy and the United Kingdom. Although mainly representatives of large firms 
were interviewed, this was counterbalanced by interviews with the trade 
associations and national institutions involved in promoting EDI or facilitating 
trade. 
The main conclusions of the report are that, while 60% of those interviewed had 
heard of EDI, their knowledge of it was fairly limited. Some 16% of respondents 
had implemented EDI. There was a clear distinction between the northern 
European countries, which were more involved in the development of EDI, and 
those of southern Europe. The vast majority of those interviewed wanted more 
documentation on the subject, preferably via national channels. The survey 
stresses the need for action on standards, liberalization of telecommunications 
services, security and legal constraints, as well as special measures for small and 
medium-sized enterprises. 
The distribution and transport sectors are convinced that, over the next five years, 
EDI will become an essential precondition for trade with the large firms 
established in most European countries. The report was completed in November 
1989 and will be published (in English) and circulated from January 1990. 
Following the agreements reached with the EFTA Member States, there are also 
plans to extend the survey to cover the EFTA countries. The resulting report 
should be available by the end of 1990. 
4.2 Support to small and medium-sized enterprises 
In October 1988 a call for proposals was published in the Official Journal for EDI 
pilot projects for small and medium-sized enterprises based on EDIFACT and 
OSI standards. These pilot projects, lasting from nine to twelve months, should 
indicate how best to involve small and medium-sized enterprises in the setting-up 
and use of EDI. There were many expressions of interest in this call for proposals 
(some 160); many proposals were also received (63). The budget allocated to the 
TEDIS programme is unfortunately insufficient to give financial support to a large 
number of projects; selection had to be severe and was sometimes difficult. In the 
end only twelve projects were adopted; they related to transport, paper, insurance 
and wholesale and retail trade, chemicals and music. A brief description of these 
projects is given in Annex F. These pilot projects should be completed by mid-
1990. 
- 18 
A detailed report will be drawn up for each of these pilot projects, describing the 
difficulties with organization, setting-up and implementation. An in-depth 
examination of the reports should indicate how these difficulties can be overcome 
and the chances of success of the recommended methods. It is interesting to note 
that each of the twelve pilot projects has adopted a different approach; a great 
deal of experience is therefore expected to be gained from the experiment. 
4.3 Participation in conferences and exhibitions 
The past two years have seen a dramatic increase in the number of conferences, 
exhibitions and seminars dealing with EDI. The TEDIS programme has taken 
part in several of them and has actively encouraged the organizers to continue 
their work on spreading awareness and information. 
An exhibition stand was designed and built; it was used at several exhibitions and 
served well for distributing information on the activities of the TEDIS programme. 
In addition to a national annual conference in most Member States, an annual 
European conference "Compat" seems to have established itself. The next 
Compat conference will take place in May 1990 in Madrid, with the full support of 
the TEDIS programme. 
We should also point out that the first TEDIS conference was held in Brussels in 
July 1989. The work in progress at the time was presented at the conference and 
the participants in the sectoral projects showed the current status of their projects. 
Over 200 participants, from industry, administration and government bodies in all 
Member States attended. The proceedings of the conference were published and 
widely circulated <1 ). 
4.4 Publications 
Besides the publication, in French and English, of the report on "the legal situation 
of the Member States with regard to trade electronic data interchange", and a survey, 
in English, of the "current level of implementation, use and general awareness of 
electronic data interchange in all the Member States", a series of documents (2) 
mentioned below, was published. They helped, however modestly, to make 
potential users aware of EDI in the Community: 
. Aspects of EDI; 
. A folder containing leaflets on: 
TEDIS in general, 
Telecommunications and EDI, 
Legal aspects, 
EDI message security, 
EDIFACT. 
The references of these proceedings are given in Annex D. 
2 The references are given in Annex D. 
19-
All these publications are available in all nine Community languages. 
A seven-minute video tape was produced to explain about EDI and the TEDIS 
programme. The tape is also available in all nine Community languages. It is of 
excellent quality and has been well received by everyone who has seen it; many 
copies have been distributed. 
The call for proposals published in the Official Journal of 7 September 1989 also 
concerned awareness activities, notably: 
. the production of a video tape on the EDIFACT standard, 
. the production of user manuals or interactive training materials, 
. the publication of case studies of actual EDI implementations. 
A description of the subjects covered is given in Annex E. 
These activities will be carried out in 1990. 
4.5 Information 
Since the launch of the TEDIS programme, the Commission has received a heavy 
and ever-increasing demand for information on all aspects of TEDIS. In addition 
to supplying a package of documents and publications, TEDIS has endeavoured to 
keep interested parties informed of the details of these activities, either by 
Community publications or through the press. 
20-
5. CONCLUSION 
The TEDIS programme, originally conceived as a preparatory phase, has in two years 
with a fairly low budget of ECU 5.3 million, covered all the objectives set out in Article 
3 of Council Decision 87/499/EEC of 5 October 1987 <1). During the period 1988-89, 
all the appropriations allocated were used (2). 
The TEDIS programme has handled the following main tasks: 
- coordinating pan-European sectoral projects; 
- actively contributing to the standardization of EDI messages and giving full support 
to the work of the Western European EDIFACT Board; 
- looking at EDI users' telecommunications needs; 
- seeking appropriate solutions to the legal issues raised by EDI; 
- taking account of the security aspects of EDI messages and examining how security 
questions can be resolved in a dynamic and open environment; 
- studying the advisability of promoting the development of software suitable for EDI; 
- setting up the procedures and structures necessary for the conformity of EDI 
messages and software to the EDIFACT international standard. 
In addition, several awareness activities have been conducted under the TEDIS 
programme: 
. survey on the level of awareness and use of EDI; 
. participation in EDI conferences and exhibitions; 
. publications; 
. dissemination of information. 
Support to small and medium-sized enterprises is provided in particular in the form of 
twelve pilot projects which closely involve such enterprises in the setting-up of EDI 
applications. 
The launch of the TEDIS programme coincided with an upsurge of interest in EDI; 
TEDIS was thus able to actively contribute to the gradual development of EDI in 
Europe so that the principal needs arising could be satisfied. The period 1988-89 also 
clearly showed where future work should be focused. 
Therefore, in accordance with Article 8 of the Council Decision on the TEDIS 
programme, the Commission intends to submit a proposal for further measures. 
OJ L 285, 8.10.1987, p. 35. 
The breakdown of resources is given in Annex G. 
.a^\-
AN N EXES 
A. Addresses of committees for the simplification of trade procedures 
(Compros) and "Ediforums" 
B. Brief description of EDI sectoral projects monitored under TEDIS 
C. Organizational chart of the Western European EDIFACT Board 
D. References of publications produced under the TEDIS programme 
E. Description of subjects concerning awareness of EDI, legal aspects of 
EDI, EDI message security and analysis of EDIFACT message conversion 
software, as covered by the invitation to tender published in the OJ 
of 7 September 1989 
F. Brief description of EDI pilot projects involving small and medium-
sized enterprises, based on UN/EDIFACT and OSI international 
standards. 
G. Allocation of resources 

. u. 
ANNEX A: Addresses of committees for the simplification of trade 
procedures (Compro's) and "EDIFORUMs" 
In the Member States: 
Federal Republic of Germany 
DEUPRO 
c/o Bundesministerium 
Villemombler Strasse, 
Postfach 140260 
D - 5300 Bonn 1 fiir 
76 Wirtschaft Herrn E.A. Hoerig 
Tél. +49-228-6153800 
Fax +49-228-6154436 
Telex 886747 
Belgium 
SIPR0C0M 
c/o 0BCE (Office Belge du Commerce 
Bid Emile Jacqmain, 162 - Bte 36 
WTC Tower 1 
B - 1210 Bruxelles Mme Virginie Plas, Président 
M. Emile Goffin, Directeur 
Tél. +32-2-2194450 
Fax +32-2-2176123 
Telex 21502 
Denmark 
DANPR0 
Federation of Danish Industries 
H.C. Andersens Boulevard 18 
DK - 1596 Copenhagen V Mr Curt Daniel sen 
Tél. +45-1-33152233 
Fax +45-1-33323281 
Telex 9112217 
Spain 
SIMPRO-ESPAfiA 
C.E.O.E 
c/o Philips Ibérica S.A.E. 
Martinez Villergas, 2 
Apartado 2065 
E - 28027 Madrid Mr M. Pereira Ramos 
Tél. +34-1-4042200 
Fax +34-1-3262234 
Telex 22983 
Jl\-
Annex A - page 2 
France 
SIMPROFRANCE 
61, rue de 1'Arcade 
F - 75008 Paris M. Michel Favre, Président 
M. Bernard Stoven 
Tél. +33-1-42930302 
Fax +33-1-48743158 
Telex 640795 
EDIFRANCE 
c/o Association Française de 
Normalisation 
Tour Europe Cedex 7 
F - 92049 Paris La Défense M. Etienne Dreyfous, 
Tél. +33-1-42915704 
Fax +33-1-42915656 
Telex 611974 Président 
Greece 
Chambre de Commerce d'Athènes 
rue Aka Dimias, 7 
GR - Athènes 134 M. Alkis N. Iliadis 
Fax +30-1-3607897 
Telex 215707 
Ireland 
IREPRO 
Irish Export 
Merrion Hall 
P.O. Box 203 
IRL - Sandymount, Board 
Strand Road 
Dublin 4 Mr David Strahan 
Tél. +353-1695011 
Fax +353-1695820 
Telex 93678 
Italy 
Ministero del Commercio Estero 
DG del le Valute 
Via America 
I - 00100 ROMA 
EDIFORUM Italia 
c/o Forum Telematico Italiano (F.T.I.) 
P.zza Leonardo Da Vinci, 32 
I - Milano Mrs Emma Bannella Mazzucchelli 
Tél. +39-6-59932479 
Fax +39-6-5914978 
Telex 610083 
Prof. A. Martino, Présidente 
Tél. +39-2-23992451 
Fax +39-2-2664634 
T*M-
Netherlands Annex A - page 3 
SITPRONETH 
c/o Chamber of Commerce and Industry 
for Rotterdam and the Lower Maas 
37 Beursplein 
P.O. Box 30025 
NL- 3001 DA ROTTERDAM Mr G.A.N.H. Schreuder, Chairman 
Tél. +31-10-4057720 
Fax +31-10-4145754 
EDIFORUM 
Watermolenlaan 1 
Postbus 102 
NL - 3440 AC Woerden Mr Wim de Jong 
Tél. +31-3480-24100 
Fax +31-3480-23912 
Telex 40201 
Portugal 
Secrétariat pour la Modernisation 
Administrative 
Rua Almeida Brandao, 7-3 
P - 1200 Lisboa M. E.J. Quadros 
Tél. +351-1-674551 
Fax +351-1-609975 
Telex 65645 
United Kingdom 
SITPRO 
Venture House 
29, Glasshouse Street 
GB - London W1R 5RG Mr Ray Walker, Chief Executive 
Tél. +44-71-2873525 
Fax +44-71-2875751 
Telex 919130 
EFTA Member States: 
Austria 
AUSTRIAPR0 
BWK c/o BUKA 
Wiedner Hauptstrasse, 63 
P.O. Box 150 
A - 1045 Vienna Herrn H. Schoener 
Tél. +43-1-50105 X 
Fax +43-1-652501 
Telex 111871 4380 
-is-
Iceland Annex A - page 4 
ICEPRO 
Technological Institute of Iceland 
Keldnaholt 
IS - 112 Reykjavik Mr T.K. Olafsson, Secretary 
Tél. +354-1-687000 
Fax +354-1-687409 
Telex 22933 
Finland 
FINPRO 
The Finnish Foreign Trade 
Association 
P.O. Box 908 
SF - 00101 Helsinki Mr Torbjorn Blomfeldt, Secretary 
Tél. +358-0-69591 
Fax +358-0-6940028 
Telex 121696 
Norway 
NORPRO 
c/o Federation of Norwegian 
Transport Users 
P.O. Box 2526 - Solli 
N - Oslo 2 Mr Karl I Isaksen, Secretary 
Tél. +47-2-557032 
Fax +47-2-552362 
Sweden 
SWEPRO 
Box 450 
S - 40127 Gôteborg Mr Hans Armfelt Hansell 
Tél. +46-31-637000 
Fax +46-31-802681 
Telex 20847 
Switzerland 
Direction Générale de la Douane 
Monbigou Str., 40 
CH - 3003 Bern M. François Vuilleumier 
Tél. +41-31-616523 
Fax +41-31-617872 
Telex 911440 
-AG-
ANNEXB 
Brief description of EDI sectoral projects 
monitored under TEDIS 

-tt-
Annex B - page 2 
Automotive Industry Sector - Project ODETTE 
ODETTE, the Organization for Data Exchange by Tele Transmission in 
Europe, was formed early during 1984 by the European automotive industry 
in order to develop and promote EDI in this industry sector. ODETTE is 
made up of national delegations, representing both manufacturers and 
suppliers in the automotive industry of particular countries. The 
countries involved at this point in time are Belgium, France, Italy, 
Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom and Western Germany. All 
major European vehicle manufacturers and their main suppliers are 
represented in ODETTE. 
The objective of ODETTE was to replace slow cumbersome paper based 
procedures with standardised direct electronic communications, essential 
to modern logistics and Just-In-Time manufacturing methods. Through 
standardised electronic methods it is possible to achieve lead time 
reductions, increased flexibility, reduction in errors and significant 
improvements in manual administrative procedures. In the context of the 
ODETTE project, EDI is defined as the exchange of structured business 
information in either direction between Manufacturer and Supplier in an 
organised and standardised manner using modern communications methods. 
As international or European standard messages were not available in the 
initial phase of the project, ODETTE has placed high priority on the 
development of its commercial message set (invoice, delivery 
instruction, etc) but keeping their syntax and general directories in 
line with international developments. As the UN-EDIFACT message 
development activity produces definitive versions of these messages, 
ODETTE is concentrating more on the definition of automotive subsets of 
the UNSM's. 
ODETTE recommendations and publications, designed to enable companies to 
adapt to these modern methods of communication, are already widely 
implemented and in use in most of the major European manufacturing 
countries. The activities of ODETTE are carried out through established 
work groups and extends beyond EDI into Automatic Identification (Bar 
coding), engineering data exchange and re usable containers. 
ODETTE consists of : 
* a Plenary Committee, the decision making body 
* an Executive made up of a representative from each country 
* a permanent Secretariat 
* nine working groups covering different aspects of material flows: 
message definition EDI syntax application 
telecommunications implementation 
legal automatic identification 
engineering exchange containers 
customs interfaces 
Contact address: Mr Alan Shepherd 
ODETTE Europe 
Forbes House, Hal kin Street, 
GB - London SW1X 7DS 
Tel. +44-71-2357000 Fax +44-71-2357112 
-j8-
Annex B - page 3 
European Chemical Industry Federation - Project CEFIC/EDI 
CEFIC, the European Chemical Industry Federation, is the Brussels-based 
organization representing all the fifteen National Chemical Federations 
in Western Europe. 
It has, as Corporate Associate Members, over 40 major chemical companies 
with headquarters in the EC and EFTA. CEFIC represents an industry 
which employs two million people and accounts for about 30% of world 
production and over 60% of world chemical exports, with a turnover of 
300,000 million ECUs. 
The Chemical Industry sees EDI as an important means of increasing 
European competitiveness and completing the Internal Market. 
After running a pilot scheme from 1987 to 1988, the Chemical Industry 
decided that EDI applications based on the international standards 
UN/EDIFACT and X.400 were the way to proceed. 
CEFIC now has a permanent EDI desk, which assists companies and the EDI 
Working Groups. They deal with message developement in the areas of 
trade, transport, customs and statistics where they define Chemical 
Industry requirements. Furthermore, groups work on telecommunication, 
business requirements, maintenance and documentation. The Groups are 
managed by a Coordination group. 21 major chemical companies are 
involved in 8 different European countries. 
It was realized that success mainly depended on the proliferation of 
EDI, therefore, twice a year a Forum day is organized open to the entire 
European Chemical Industry. 
The Chemical Industry sets great store by cooperating closely with its 
American counterpart CIDX (Chemical Industry Data Exchange) but also 
with the other European EDI Interest Groups like ODETTE and EDIFICE. It 
participates actively in the Western European EDIFACT Board, Steering 
Committee and Message Design groups. 
More information on CEFIC/EDI can be obtained from 
Mr R.A.A. Hopster 
CEFIC/EDI 
avenue Louise, 250 - Bte 71 
B - 1050 Brussels 
Telex 62444 Tel. +32-2-6402095 Fax +32-2-6401981 
-ab-Annex B - page 4 
Electronics Industry Sector - EDIFICE 
EDIFICE is the Electronic Data Interchange Forum for Companies with 
Interests in Computing and Electronics. It coordinates the electronics 
industry's requirements in EDI and supports EDIFACT standards. 
EDIFICE is a non-profit organisation representing the electronics 
industry and dedicated to the development, promotion and implementation 
of EDI using international standards. Membership of EDIFICE currently 
comprises 37 major companies from the European electronics sector. The 
EDIFICE group was formed in 1986, with participation from electronics 
industries from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Sweden, 
Netherlands, Switzerland and Italy. Several of the participating 
companies are subsidiaries of major US electronic companies. The group 
provides a forum for discussion and agreement of EDI practices within 
the electronics and electronic components industries. 
The aims of EDIFICE are to act as a forum, in order to support, have 
influence in, and promote the implementation and use of international 
standards, enabling the transmission of data between partners. It will 
endeavour to ensure that the Electronics Industry will be able to take 
optimal advantage of EDI developments, and minimize duplication in 
message and transmission standards. 
EDIFICE will actively support and promote the development and adoption 
of a single global EDI standard for use by the Electronics Industry. To 
that end, EDIFICE will work with international EDI development groups 
and with national EDI bodies to achieve the goal of a single EDI 
standard. It will work with other industry associations for the 
consistent implementation of a global EDI standard. In particular, 
EDIFICE will liase with EIDX, the US Electronics Industry EDI group, in 
order to mutually develop and maintain EDI guidelines based upon EDIFACT 
for U.S. and European Electronics Industries. 
EDIFICE has regular plenary meetings reviewing UN-EDIFACT message 
development, results and progress of pilot trials, network problems, as 
well as future interchanges with customs and transport companies. 
EDIFICE is participating at all levels in the EDIFACT Board and Message 
Development groups. EDIFICE will be developing EDI messages required by 
participating companies and put them forward as proposals for future UN 
standard EDI messages. 
European electronics companies have now integrated Electronic Data 
Interchange (EDI) procedures based on EDIFACT into their purchasing and 
procurement operations, using EDIFACT standards and the guidelines 
developed by EDIFICE. The fact that 20 leading companies have more than 
100 production links active today in several European countries and the 
US is a clear indication that EDIFACT and EDI are making rapid progress. 
Contact address: Mr Robin A. Hodgson 
Motorola Inc. 
European Semiconductor Group 
P.O. Box 8 
16, Chemin de la Voie Creuse 
CH - 1211 Geneva 20 
Tel. +41-22-7991396 Fax +41-22-7341086 
Annex B - page 5 
EANCOM - A multi-industry EDI standard 
The International Numbering Association EAN has formed an international 
EDI project called EANCOM, in response to demand from their member 
companies to develop a standard EDI system. 
EAN is well known for its numbering and barcoding standards which 
address the needs for unique identification of products and standard 
supplementary data. Today, 46 countries are represented in EAN 
worldwide. The 18 European countries are member of EAN and are 
represented by National Numbering Organisations. Each Numbering 
Organisation has a secretariat which administers and promotes the EAN 
system in its territory. More than 125,000 companies participate in the 
EAN system currently, so EDI activities of EAN will reach a large number 
of medium and small size enterprises in Europe and further afield. 
Besides their activities in numbering and barcoding standards, most of 
the EAN Numbering Organisations have emerged as the natural centres for 
the design of EDI standards including telecommunications facilities. 
EAN decided to give an international dimension to this work and the 
EANCOM project was launched in 1988. 
Its main objective is to provide EAN users with a practical standard for 
national and international EDI communications. This is achieved by 
drafting implementation guidelines of UN/EDIFACT messages. The 
association takes part in UN/ECE/WP4 proceedings and EAN is an active 
member of the EDIFACT Board and Message Development Groups dealing with 
Trade, Transport and Finance. 
EANCOM's strategy is to give active support to the development of 
UN/EDIFACT, to draft standard Interchange Agreements of United Nations 
Standard Messages and to coordinate EDI exchanges based on EANCOM. 
Several EDI implementations at national level have been operational for 
some years now. In some countries, migration to UN/EDIFACT is being 
considered. In the other countries, user companies are encouraged to 
implement EANCOM for international transactions, the existing EDI 
standard being used for domestic business. New national implementations 
are based on the UN/EDIFACT standards. 
Although EAN is best known in the retail industry, companies from any 
commercial or industry sector can benefit from the standards developed 
by the Association. 
Additional information, support and documentation can be obtained from: 
EAN 
rue des Colonies, 54 - Bte 8 
B - 1000 Brussels 
Tel. +32-2-218 76 74 Fax +32-2-218 75 85 
-M 
Annex B - page 6 
Insurance Industry Sector - Project RINET 
RINET, the international Reinsurance and Insurance network set up in 
1987 by eight leading European reinsurance companies, provides EDI 
services to insurers, reinsurers and brokers worldwide. 
The objective of this non-profit-making, Brussels-based cooperative 
society is to accelerate and facilitate cross-border communications 
between trading partners by replacing paper-based processes with direct 
computer to computer communications. The benefits are many: error-free 
and rapid transmission of data reduces administrative costs and burdens, 
increases operational efficiency and ups productivity. The overall 
effectiveness of the industry increases as does its position on the 
financial services market. 
RINET offers a common, value added network; standardised messages for 
the computer to computer transfer of structured data; a free-format 
electronic mail facility; and access to an information board, 
international loss event services and external databases. 
Standardised messages are the most innovative and potentially far-
reaching aspect of the network. Without agreed business standards, 
multiple, separate in-house to network to in-house conversions are 
unavoidable. With standards, conversion occurs once: in-house to 
network format for outgoing data, and the reverse for data received. To 
this end, RINET is creating a series of standard messages which will 
eventually support all main reinsurance functions, and which can be used 
globally. The REINAC and CURRAC messages for the transfer of non-life 
reinsurance treaty accounting data have been used in a live environment 
since the beginning of 1990, and other messages such as claims and 
confirmation of accounts should be ready for live use by 1991. A 
feasibility study for facultative message developments is also underway. 
All such messages are based on UN/EDIFACT standards and RINET is 
actively represented on the EDIFACT Board as well as in the EDIFACT 
message design groups for insurance and reinsurance. The ultimate goal 
is to pioneer one EDI standard for the entire industry, and, as a result 
of this, RINET has been recognized by TEDIS as a pan-European sectorial 
project. 
As an international initiative, RINET encourages and sustains a 
worldwide membership of insurers, brokers and reinsurers despite its 
relative youth. This, alone, is evidence of the insurance industry's 
intention to link its future to EDI. 
Contact address: Mr X. Dereppe, General Manager 
RINET S.C. 
Bid de la Woluwe, 60 - Bte 3 
B - 1200 Brussels 
Tel. +32-2-761 62 11 Fax +32-2-770 16 73 
WESTERN EUROPEAN 
EDIFACT BOARD I 
Secretariat: 
Commission of 
the European 
Communities 
Steering Committee 
(Chair & Rapporteur) 
Technical 
Assessment 
Group 
(TAG) Maintenance 
Advisory 
Group 
(MAG) Message 
Development 
Groups Awareness 
Group 
(AWG) Documentation 
Group 
(DWG) 
Trade Transport 
Rail, road 
sea & air Customs 
& other 
Official 
Procedures Finance 
Banking & 
Insurance Special 
Projects: 
Tourism & 
Construction Statistics. m x 
o 
o 
-J 
CO 
rj 
N 
C-+-
O 
OJ 
CD 
XL 
<D 
V> 
r+ 
CT> -$ 
rj 
m c -i 
o -a 
CO 
OJ r$ 
> o 
CD 
o 
OJ 
-i 
a. 
-tt-
ANNEX D: References of publications produced under the TEDIS 
programme 
* TEDIS, Trade Electronic Data Interchange Systems 
- A Community programme for cooperation 
(available in English, German, Spanish, Italian and French) 
* EDI in perspective (EUR 11883, 1989 - 54 pages) 
(available in all nine Community languages) 
* Factsheets (EUR 12293, 1989 - 5 pages) 
- TEDIS in general, 
- Telecommunications and EDI, 
- Legal aspects, 
- EDI security, 
- Edifact 
(available in all nine Community languages) 
* Report on the EDI legal workshop held in Brussels on 19-20 June 1989 
(148 pages) 
(available in English) 
* Report on the EDI security workshop held in Brussels on 20-21 June 
1989 (50 pages) 
(available in English) 
* Report on the EDI telecommunications workshop held in Brussels on 22-
23 June 1989 (98 pages) 
(available in English) 
* Proceedings of the TEDIS Conference held in Brussels on 12-13 July 
1989 (299 pages) 
(available in English) 
* Report on the "Legal situation in the Member States regarding trade 
electronic data interchange" - September 1989, XIII/D/5/7-90 
(available in French; English version in translation). 
* Report on the "Survey of EDI in all the Member States" - 1989, 
XIII/D/5/6-90 
(available in English). 
-*M-
ANNEX E: Description of subjects concerning awareness of EDI, legal 
aspects of EDI, EDI message security and analysis of 
Edifact message conversion software, as covered in the 
invitation to tender published in the OJ of 7 September 
1989 
Having regard to the objectives set out in the Council Decision of 
5 October 1987 adopting the TEDIS programme, and taking account of the 
activities carried out and the results of the workshops held in June 
1989 under the programme, a number of priorities for action emerged, 
notably regarding awareness of EDI, legal aspects, EDI message security 
and analysis of Edifact message conversion software. 
An invitation to tender for projects related to the development of 
electronic data interchange (EDI) within the Community was therefore 
published in the Official Journal of the European Communities (C230 and 
S171 of 7 September 1989). 
A brief description of the subjects covered in the invitation to tender 
is given below. 
(i) Awareness 
In order to effectively promote awareness of EDI, pursuant to the 
Council Decision of 5 October 1987, a number of specific measures have 
already been taken. 
The results of these measures demonstrated the need to increase 
awareness in the Member States of the international Edifact standards 
and produce material in the various Community languages to explain how 
the standards can be used to implement EDI, in both new and existing 
systems. 
The Commission therefore decided to support projects in the following 
areas: 
- Edifact video 
The production of a video recording explaining the Edifact 
standards, including the structure, design, implementation and 
maintenance of Edifact messages in a commercial environment. 
This video recording, lasting 20 to 30 minutes, should be suitable 
for use by qualified staff with several years' experience in 
programming or data processing, and by project managers 
responsible for EDI implementations in various types of companies 
or a range of different sectors in industry or commerce. 
-*>5-Annex E - page 2 
- User manual 
Production of user manuals or interactive training programmes for 
Edifact implementations. 
This material should be designed for use with the standard 
UN/Edifact documentation and with the documentation of any 
particular computer application and its environment. It should 
therefore be designed to be independent of any particular computer 
hardware or operating system, or be produced in different versions 
for use on a wide range of equipment or systems of this type. 
The material should be suitable for use by staff qualified in 
programming or data processing with several years7 experience in 
the field of computers and information technology, but with no 
particular experience of the EDI or Edifact standards. It may be 
designed for use in the context of a structured training course or 
as self-instruction material. 
- Case studies of actual EDI implementations 
This will involve the publication of a number of case studies 
describing actual implementations of EDI systems in various 
industrial, commercial or administrative environments. 
(ii) Legal aspects 
The rapid growth of ÈDI requires the clarification and ex-amination of 
certain legal issues. 
Some steps have already been taken in this area. Further investigation 
is required for certain subjects and the need for further analysis was 
stressed at the TEDIS workshop held in June 1989. 
- Contract formation 
This will consist of writing a report analysing the impact of 
electronic data interchange (EDI) on the formation of contracts 
and making proposals for reforms or changes in the law. 
The report will examine the legal aspects of contracts formed by 
EDI (in the sense of the transfer of structured data based on 
approved standard messages, by electronic means between 
computers). 
_^C-
Annex E - page 3 
In particular the report will have to cover: the principles 
determining the time and place of contract formation, the impact 
on these two factors (time and place of formation) of the 
involvement of one or more intermediaries (value-added services, 
clearing houses, etc.), the question of the transmission of 
general conditions of contract, and the revocability of offers. 
The analysis will be made on the basis of a comparative law 
approach. 
- Liability of network operators 
The work will consist of writing a report analysing the situation 
of the network operators (public and private sectors) regarding 
their liability for the transmission of EDI messages and making 
proposals for any necessary harmonization at European level. 
The report will examine, from the point of view of comparative 
law, the situation of the liability of public or private network 
operators, network suppliers and service providers. 
This question will be examined with particular regard to EDI and 
the transmission of standard EDI messages for the commercial needs 
of enterprises. 
The analysis will also have to determine to what extent 
enterprises, including SMEs, bear or will bear the risks inherent 
in the transmission of EDI messages, such as delays, errors, 
omissions, fraud, etc. and to what extent the damage resulting 
from such problems will be their responsibility or can be borne by 
third parties. 
Where necessary, proposals will be made to improve the situation 
and promote a better balance. 
- Trusted third parties and similar services 
This work will consist of an analysis of the projects or bodies of 
this type which already exist in Europe and a description or 
definition of the models which can be envisaged and the extent to 
which they will meet users' legal requirements, notably as regards 
preappointed evidence. 
The required characteristics of the models will be examined and 
defined on the basis of the functions to be carried out. 
-V* Annex E - page 4 
(iii) EDI message security 
The Council Decision of 5 October 1987 states that security is one of 
the key areas of EDI. 
EDI security has been studied in a project carried out in consultation 
with SOGITS and discussed with the ad hoc intersectoral EDI security 
working party and at a special workshop held in June. 
In line with these activities, and in the light of the priorities 
identified, the Commission now intends to support projects in the 
following areas: 
- EDI message security and standards 
In order to make progress on the inclusion of security elements, 
especially electronic signatures, in Edifact-based EDI messages, 
an initial formal definition is needed as a basis for any future 
discussions. 
For the development of this definition, account must be taken of 
X.400 development and proposed ANSI standards. Comments should be 
made on the relationship of the definition to existing and 
proposed standards. 
The basic definition and associated comments will be circulated to 
interested parties active in EDI message development. 
Proposals are being requested for the drafting of a report 
containing the appropriate definitions, in standard format, and 
the associated comments, whichr would form a suitable focal point 
for future work. 
- Demonstration of electronic signature systems 
EDI security will involve the use of electronic signatures. These 
are not always well understood by users, however. 
A simple, readily available system to demonstrate electronic 
signatures will be a valuable aid for users and security 
specialists who together have to understand the problems and 
devise solutions to them. 
The demonstration system must be simple to use on current office 
systems. It must demonstrate clearly and simply the principles 
involved, but the "signatures" produced need not be entirely 
secure. 
It must be possible to demonstrate the "signatures" produced in 
common electronic mail environments. 
-*>*-Annex E - page 5 
Proposals are being requested for the production of such a 
software-based demonstration. 
- User guide 
The user's awareness of security issues is regarded as a key 
element in the development of EDI. Everyone involved in EDI must 
be informed of the areas which might pose problems for EDI message 
security, possible solutions and action to be taken. 
A small leaflet on security issues should be prepared for 
dissemination to EDI users. 
The leaflet should give simple explanations of the concepts and 
terminology, especially those used in the field of standards. It 
could cover the areas ranging from standards to risk analysis. 
The leaflet should consist of 30 to 40 pages (A5) and be easy to 
read (with illustrations if possible). 
- Service infrastructure 
The question of the service infrastructure required for security 
in an open EDI environment is not clear. Some services have been 
proposed by various parties in the field of electronic signatures, 
certification of keys, non-repudiation, etc. It is necessary to 
examine progress made and identify new scenarios for the nineties. 
Detailed scenarios must be developed for integration into later 
work and allow identification of future services. The range of 
basic mechanisms needed and which are available should be 
identified. 
The report should: 
- identify the probable and possible security scenarios; 
- define the general infrastructure required; 
- identify the component services available and planned. 
The responsibilities which can and must be accepted by third 
parties must be considered. This report will be disseminated as a 
reference document to people responsible for implementing systems 
and to service providers. 
Annex E - page 6 
- General examination of EDI security issues 
A considerable volume of work of relevance to EDI is being carried 
out on security both in the field of standards and in the R&D 
sector. Information on this work should be disseminated to EDI 
users and developers. The available technology and work in 
progress must therefore be considered and studied from the point 
of view of EDI. 
- signature techniques, "zero-knowledge" proof, 
- smart cards, 
- security products (application level), 
- new threats to the network, such as "worms", 
- threats to software integrity (viruses, logic bombs, Trojan 
horses), 
- Esprit projects, 
- Race activities. 
Information should be presented in the form of factsheets. 
(iv) Analysis of Edifact message conversion software 
The aim of this analysis is to: 
- assess needs and constraints for writing conversion software complying 
with Edifact standards and recommendations; 
- draw up a functional specification to allow development and 
implementation of such software in enterprises and administrations. 
The Commission's aim is that both private and public users should 
implement the Edifact standard for the interchange of structured EDI 
messages between computers. 
The interchange of structured data between different types of computer 
requires the conversion of application data to and from a common format. 
Software now available or under development in various areas of activity 
does not seem to meet users' requirements. 
The analysis will be carried out in two separate stages: 
Stage 1 
* identification and assessment of software available in the market and 
under development for the conversion of defined EDI messages for 
electronic data interchange in accordance with international standards 
and work relating to EDI: 
Annex E - page 7 
UN/ECE (ISO 9735) Edifact Syntax Rules 
UN/ECE Edifact Syntax Implementation Guide 
UN/ECE (ISO 7372) Trade Data Elements Directory & Codes 
UN/ECE Message Design Guidelines for Edifact 
UN/ECE and Edifact Board (Europe/EFTA) 
- Standard Messages (UNSMs), 
- Standard Segments Directory 
- Control & Unique Identification of UNSMs & Sectoral 
Messages; 
* assessment of experiments in progress and solutions in use in the 
private and public sectors; 
* definition of users' needs in the private and public sectors; 
* comparison of functions of available products and users' experiences; 
* list of functions necessary for software definition and development; 
* writing-up and presentation of the results of stage 1. 
Stage 2 
* any recommendations for the improvement of existing products; 
* definition of a functional specification for the design and 
development of appropriate software. 
The analysis should cover all the private and public sectors involved in 
Edifact electronic data interchange. The geographical area of the 
analysis will cover principally Western Europe (EEC and EFTA countries) 
and some companies and/or administrations in the United States. 
In order to allow the Commission to monitor the analysis, interim 
reports drafted by the consultant and progress meetings should be 
planned. The relevant committees may ask the Commission for 
presentations of the final report of each of the two stages. 
Important notes: 
The identification and assessment of the available products will be 
conducted in the strictest confidence. 
The results of this analysis will be the property of the Commission and 
will not be published. 
The contractor will be required to be strictly impartial and totally 
independent of the subject matter. 
_M>\-
ANNEX F 
Brief description of EDI pilot projects 
involving small and medium-sized enterprises, 
based on UN/EDIFACT and OSI international standards. 

_ui-
Annex F - page 2 
Project EDITYRE 
Main contractor: 
VerlindenWezeman, Ernst & Whinney Organisatieadviseurs Tel: +31-85-341541 
Postbus 203 Fax:+31-85-342991 
NL-6820 AE Oosterbeek 
VerlindenWezeman, Ernst & Whinney is a large international accounting and consulting firm with 51 
offices in Europe, 500 offices worldwide. 
EDITYRE is a pilot EDI project based around an existing project under development in the Netherlands 
by the Dutch Tyre Association (VACO). EDITYRE extends the existing project to create a new European 
EDI community from companies in the tyre industry and to implement EDI techniques to automate parts 
of their inter-company trading requirements which are of international interest. 
To fit into the ambitious ti mescal es of the project, the EDITYRE approach is based upon the 
following beliefs: 
part of the new community should be formed from an existing community where members are 
already committed to, and knowledgeable in, EDI ; 
the pilot community should be limited to a maximum of 12 members in order that progress 
meetings are manageable and, indeed, feasible; 
the number of countries involved should reflect the international nature of the project 
but, in order to achieve the pilot objectives, should be limited; 
the number of documents and messages to be involved in the EDI implementation should be 
limited to no more than five for the pilot project. 
r 
The pilot project is divided into the three phases organisation of the user group, support and 
consultancy and evaluation. 
Organisation of the user group: This phase is concerned with establishing a user group 
consisting of up to twelve companies and representatives of up to four tyre associations. 
It has been decided to restrict the participants from UK, France and West Germany to only 
two of the six sectors of the tyre industry. 
Support and consultancy: Throughout the implementation stage of the project a range of 
consulting support and project management services will be provided to the participating 
companies. Four types of consultancy have been anticipated: general management consultancy, 
specific technical support, general implementation support and advice, global coordination 
and project management. 
Participating companies in EDITYRE will formally analyse the success from their point of view 
against some pre-defined success criteria. These will be discussed and consolidated at an evaluation 
seminar attended by all participants. It is intended that participation companies will continue 
EDITYRE by 'spreading the word' and encouraging their business partners to make the investment to 
join the community. 
Annex F - page 3 
Project EDI-ROAD 
Main contractor: 
Stichting Uniform Transport Code Tel: +31-70-510707 
Statenplein, 2 Fax: +31-70-505930 
NL-2582 EW The Hague 
Stichting Uniform Transport Code was founded in 1986 by the Dutch employer's organisations for the 
commercial transport and The Netherlands Inland Shipping Bureau and is actually a main Dutch forum 
for EDI in transport. 
EDI-ROAD as a pilot project includes three different international pilot situations and is done 
under the aegis of the Stichting UTC, founded by the Dutch employer's organizations for the 
commercial road transport. Each separate pilot must endeavour to arrive at electronic exchange of 
messages between computers installed at companies which operate as forwarders, transporters or 
shippers, using the EDIFACT message set developed by Stichting UTC. The exchange is made by the 
computer of the Dutch professional transporters and the computer of the foreign business. Use may be 
made of value added network services for this structured exchange of data. 
A separate project team is formed for each pilot. In each project team there are representatives who 
are sent by the companies and organizations concerned in the pilot in question. In a project team 
the plan of approach is further detailed and filled in on the basis of the characteristics of the 
participating companies. This plan of approach is the guiding principle for the project team. It 
regularly convenes during the pilot periods in order to discuss matters, indicate problems and also 
in order to make arrangements for the further approach to business in hand. 
In order to arrive at the project goals as described, and from the present exchange of information 
between the pilot companies, each pilot will have to be divided into a number of stages and dealt 
within a project by project basis. Each pilot is already a separate project which can be subdivided 
into some six phases: 
1. Orientation, making an inventory 
2. Plan of action 
3. Implementation 
4. Test 
5. The exchange of messages 
6. Assessment 
Based on experience gained with EDI in these pilots an assessment will be made using the following 
points: 
the advantages of EDI for the pilot companies; 
the disadvantages of EDI for the pilot companies; 
the consequences of EDI for pilot company in connection with internal organization, 
procedures, automation, costs and profits; 
recommendations in connection with the plan of action, the implementation phase and the test 
phase. 
Annex F - page 4 
Project PRODEC 
Main contractors: 
(1) Euroselect B.V. Tel: +31-4130-41451 
Rijksweg, 15 Fax: +31-4130-43634 
NL-5462 CE Veghel 
Euroselect B.V. developed the business idea for this application. 
(2) UAC-TRANSCOM B.V. Tel: +31-20-150814 
P.O. Box 90445 Fax: +31-20-157509 
NL-1006 BK Amsterdam 
UAC is a national body and the Dutch part of the International Article Numbering Association. 
(3) BULL Nederland N.V. Tel: +31-33-640211 
Brouwerstraat, 4 Fax: +31-33-633533 
NL-3811 MD Amersfoort 
BULL will provide hardware-software and EDI experience for this project. 
(4) VOLMAC Tel: +31-30-324884 
P.O. Box 2575 Fax: +31-30-324433 
NL-3500 GN Utrecht 
VOLMAC will provide project management and management consultancy. 
The pilot project PRODEC is run by Euroselect, an internationally operating foodtrade company with 
the central head-office in the Netherlands. The Euroselect set-up is a direct result of 
carteI formation of Dutch producers of food products. The food trade was forced by the competition to 
buy food products abroad because of too high prices in the Netherlands. 
The existing tendencies in the European food markets are threats for the wholesale grocers and 
small/medium size supermarket chains, as they are mainly locally operating and family-owned. Food 
business will be no longer a local business and a total assortment must be offered. Transport delays 
will disappear completely and legislation cannot be an objection anymore. 
To respond to these challenges, Euroselect has to establish a chain of operating wholesale grocers 
in all European countries and to exchange data for assortment and prices of food, but also non-food 
products. Based upon this information the products can be bought where value for money is the 
highest. The price for the consumer can be lower than the price of locally produced goods. The basic 
issue is that product/price comparisons are made for equivalent products from different countries; 
these products may either be exactly the same - with perhaps different labels - or be substitutes: 
comparable in quality and components. Too many products involved, the complexity of data, the 
maintenance and the alert reaction forced Euroselect to use EDI. 
The standardisation of the messages was made by UAC-Transcom, the Dutch article numbering 
association, with Volmac, the Dutch leading software company, as subcontractor. To have EDI with 
the EC-countries, the conversion program Interbridge was needed to effect communication of the 
PRODEC system according to the EDIFACT standards. 
Major problems had to be solved and at the moment some of them remain unsolved. As the EAN is not 
yet generally used in Europe (some countries only 30X), a choice had to be made how to identify the 
product. To make comparisons possible a classification code/ description was necessary. A complete 
new system had to be developed because the Nielsen code was unworkable. 
In order to have intermediate results it is not possible to start at once with 6000- 10000 products 
(translation and coding). Therefore in the beginning 5 major product groups for all countries were 
chosen to start with. 
JHS-
Annex F - page 5 
Project TRADE 
Main contractor: 
Price Waterhouse Tel: +32-2-7731411 
Boulevard de la Woluwe, 62 Fax: +32-2-7701925 
B-1200 Brussels 
Price Waterhouse, leading international accountants and management consultants made this proposal as 
a combination of UK and continental activities. 
The pilot project TRADE of Price Waterhouse will introduce EDI at the pressure points in the 
export/import order cycle: 
1. Transmission of purchase order data from the importer to the exporter. This will replace or 
run alongside the normal transmission of a purchase order form, telex or fax. 
2. Transmission of invoice data from exporter to importer. This includes all the information 
found on an export invoice, and will be transmitted at the time of dispatch of the goods. 
It will usually still be necessary to produce a paper invoice in some form and at some 
place, for customs clearance, but the process is accelerated by transmitting the data 
direct in addition to producing the paper document. 
3. Transmission of export shipping instructions from the exporter to his freight 
forwarder/transitaire. This would replace the normal paper, telephoned or faxed shipping 
instructions giving details to the freight forwarder/haulier as to the transport, customs 
clearance and delivery of the goods. Return confirmation of bookings is included in this 
application. 
4. Transmission of invoice and customs data from the exporter to the importer's customs 
clearing agent/agent en douane. This is one of the most critical points and one where 
clearance of goods is often delayed because the right or full information is not where it 
should be at the right time - that is with the importer's agent who is attending to customs 
clearance of the goods. It will include the full invoice data, together with whatever data 
the exporter can or should provide, under the terms of trade, to expedite customs 
clearance. 
Installing EDI facilities for the project usually means using a normal business PC. This PC will be 
loaded with the necessary software to take the data necessary for each of the above four 
applications and structure it into a form which is suitable for telecommunications networks. 
Software will also link participants into the networks (via an existing telephone socket) to 
transmit/receive the data. The networks use a "mailbox" facility. Participants "collect" incoming 
EDI messages by accessing the "mailbox" from the PC at regular intervals. Messages they send are 
transmitted through the network through the receiver's "mailbox". Networks use various security 
safeguards to protect the confidentiality of transmitted data. 
Annex F - page 6 
Project PIPE 
Main contractor: 
KPMG Peat Marwick McLintock Tel: +44-1-2368000 
P.O. Box 486 Fax: +44-1-2486552 
1, Puddle Dock 
Blackfriars 
GB-London EC4V 3PD 
KPMG Peat Marwick McLintock is the leading firm of accountants and management consultants in the UK. 
As members of KPMG, there is a strong presence and range of contacts in all Member States as well as 
worldwide. 
Based on an EDI awareness exercise in the UK paper industry, KPMG Peat Marwick McLintock is running 
the PIPE project in order to extend the previous project internationally (to France and Germany), 
and further down the path to EDI implementation by establishing a pilot. 
The project consists of four phases: 
an awareness exercise, similar to the UK exercise, so bringing the three countries to a 
similar level of awareness and establishing a core group of companies interested in 
experimenting with EDI. 
a setup period for the group, during which time the parameters for the project and the 
objectives of the pilot project will be set. 
an implementation period. 
an evaluation period. 
Some of the major issues which will affect the progress of the project have already been identified: 
Firstly, there have been significant problems with the introduction of bar-coding in the 
industry. The EAN-13 code has been proposed (and approved Europe-wide) by the wholesale 
side of the industry without consultation with the manufacturers, so there is considerable 
friction between these two industry sectors. 
Secondly, there is considerable EDI activity in the Scandinavian paper industry -
especially Finland. The Scandinavians are major paper producers and the impact of their 
initiative in this highly competitive industry will be very important. 
Thirdly, there is no significant EDI activity in the paper industry within France, Germany 
or the UK, though there is considerable interest. 
Annex F - page 7 
Project TIDE 
Main contractor: 
ICL Belgium S.A. Tel: +32-2-7231811 
Bessenveldstraat, 9 Fax: +32-2-7250908 
B-1920 Dlegem 
ICL, acting as prime contractor, is providing project direction and management report preparation 
and delivery, as well as quality control and consultancy. 
Sub-contractors: 
(1) INS 
For technical EDI consultancy and network management. 
(2) Thomas Miller and Co 
To be the hub of the proposed user group, implementing the pilot project, and working with 
SMEs, throughout Europe. 
(3) Drew & Associates 
For organisational and systemic management consultancy. 
The TIDE project is concerned with speeding the flow of information between Thomas Miller & Co, (an 
organisation which administers Mutual Insurance Associations in the three market areas of Marine, 
Aviation and Non-Marine), and the Insureds (also referred to as "Members") of these Associations. 
One of the expected benefits of the project will be faster payment of claims to thé Insureds. 
The project is located within the "Protection & Indemnity" (P + I Club) segment of the Marine 
Insurance market. A P + I Club exists entirely for it's Members benefits. Such a club is non-profit 
making, all of the P + I funds and investment income is used to re-imburse Members with the claims 
and costs in cases brought against them, and to meet the expenses of the Club's administration. 
Thomas Miller & Co is the London agent for the managers of the UK P + I Club. Two of the Members (in 
Greece and the Netherlands) will be involved in the pilot. 
Within the flow of information between the Members and Thomas Miller & Co it will be the following 
transactions that will be the subject of the pilot: 
Incident Notification 
Incident Acknowledgement 
Claim Notification 
Claim Acknowledgement 
Textual Updates 
Invoice/Debit Note 
Credit/Debit Note Acknowledgement. 
It is planned to have installed the EDI service in the SMEs by mid-February 1990. 
,k%-
Annex F - page 8 
Project EDICOMM 
Main contractor: 
EDITER SpA Tel: +39-2-33200411 
Via Stephenson, 43A Fax: +39-2-33200516 
I-Milano 
EDITER SpA is a company of the FINATER Group, the financial holding of Confcommercio, the Italian 
Federation for Commerce, Tourism and Service. 
To achieve a higher degree of professionalism among its associated members, Confcommercio, the 
Italian Federation for Commerce, Tourism and Services, has planned the systematic promotion of new 
technologies, among which the use of value-added network services, and especially of EDI. In this 
way the Italian retail enterprises, which are prevailingly of small and medium size, should increase 
their efficiency, improve their competitiveness, reduce their operating costs, and overall be in a 
position to offer a more valuable service throughout the entire European Common Market. 
EDICOMM focuses on the utilisation of EDIFACT for the definition and exchange of documents such as 
purchase orders, invoices, unformatted messages and promotions. The pilot phase of the project has 
two steps. 
Step 1: The participants of this phase are a group of limited size, approx. 20 Retail Associates and 
10 Trading Partners (Industrial Suppliers), common to all of the initial participating Retailers. 
EDI exchanges during this phase will be performed on a domestic basis only. This phase began to be 
operational in September 1989. 
Step 2: The second phase of EDICOMM will be transnational, and will include EDI exchanges with some 
International partners. This phase will be under way by January 1990 and should be completed by June 
1990. 
The major problems encountered sofar may be grouped into the following categories: 
Management involvement: FEDERCOM has created an EDI Steering Committee, composed of the 
General Managers, or Financial V.P.'s, of their Voluntary Unions, and supported by their 
respective I.T. Managers. 
Working Group: It was particularly difficult to harmonize the requirements ofall 
participating partners, since everybody wanted to reflect his own application requirements 
into the EDIFACT standard document. 
Vendor selection: EDICOMM is committed to the use of international standards, namely 
EDIFACT, X.400 and X.25. The compatibility of currently available products is generally not 
given. 
Technical solution: The participating partners are characterized by a variety of installed 
hardware (very seldom large mainframe systems) and by various degree of IT knowledge. 
Training: Users normally belong to small and medium-size enterprises and do not have 
sufficient IT culture nor dedicated resources. 
Legal and fiscal aspects: None of the problems of legal and fiscal nature related to EDI 
have ever been discussed in Italy. 
,uV 
Annex F - page 9 
Project TEPIT 
Main contractor: 
DanNet A/S Tel: +45-2-821600 
Blokken 9 Fax: +45-2-821644 
DK-3460 Birkeroed 
DanNet is a value added service provider joint venture of KTAS (Copenhague Telephone Company) and 
IBM Denmark. In this project, DanNet is acting together as a consortium with Danish customs, the 
Institute for Transport Studies and the Association of Danish International Road Hauliers. 
Due to the structure of Danish business environment with a relatively high number of small and 
medium sized companies, and due to the nature of Danish trade with a high dependency on export and 
import, it is a main objective to emphasize EDI projects supporting transportation and International 
trade. So the Road Haulier Transport Sector has been chosen. 
The aim of the TEPIT project is to transfer electronically all information required in connection 
with the execution of an export order. This includes transport bookings, transport instructions, 
loading lists, customs documents and invoices, which are exchanged between manufacturers, shipping 
agents, transport agents and the customs authorities. Based on an analysis of the present document 
flow, some important documents will be chosen and implemented in the IFTM message standard. 
In addition to ordinary gains due to rationalisation, participants expect to achieve more effective 
logistic solutions which minimise storage investment, improve customer service by offering more 
rapid and precise delivery, and increase their ability to plan and carry out export deliveries in a 
flexible manner. 
The project will be completed during the first half of 1990. 
~$o-
Annex F - page 10 
Project ICARUS 
Main contractor: 
Baltimore Technologies Limited 
36, Fitzwilliam Square 
IRL-Dublin 2 Tel: +353-1-615215 
Fax: +353-1-761731 
Contact person: Mary Thérèse Fitzpatrick 
Sub-contractor: 
Cargo Community Systems Limited 
Customs Building 
Cargo Village 
IRL-Dublin Airport Tel: +353-1-426377 
Fax: +353-1-424368 
Baltimore Technologies is a small company specialised in the provision of software development and 
consultancy services in the field of communications, including EDI. 
The pilot project ICARUS is a message exchange system commissioned by Cargo Community Systems (CCS) 
which is a consortium of four airlines (Air Lingus, British Airways, Lufthansa, Ryanair) and fifteen 
cargo agents/forwarders operating in the Irish and European air-freight industry. The cargo agents 
are being targeted as the small to medium sized enterprises to be supported. A central switching 
system, based on IATA guidelines, is currently being developed by CCS and will facilitate the 
exchange of messages between agents and airlines. Initially, the system will enable users to 
exchange air waybills as well as reservation and status messages. 
The message switch is a UNIX box with messages being sent and received over X.25 connections, both 
public and leased. Initially, the system users will exchange CARGO-IMP messages (CARGO-IMP is an 
International IATA standard). The cargo agents will use the EDIFACT envelope for exchanges while the 
airlines will use the standard SITA envelope. Orf completion, the system will support the full 
EDIFACT message standard for use by the cargo agents. 
The project is significant in a European context since, traditionally, developments in the air 
industry have tended towards proprietary standards. This project, however, represents a departure 
from the norm in that the issue is approached from the user perspective thereby allowing users to 
utilize an International standard in the air-industry environment. This, in turn, allows users to 
extend the use of EDI beyond the cargo-agent/airline link to other aspects of their trading 
procedures. 
ICARUS is breaking new ground in many senses. Its progress is being monitored with interest by other 
air-freight groups throughout Europe as well as IATA. At present the system is at the pilot 
development stage, with six users expected to connect by February 1990. The full system is scheduled 
to be operational by mid-1990, with all of the CCS members connected. From there, CCS hope to expand 
the system to include as many users as possible and also to gradually increase the services and 
messages supported by the system. 
-S*-
Annex F - page 11 
Project PUSHED 
Main contractor: 
MONTEDIPE SpA Tel: +39-2-63338280 
Via Taramelli, 26 Fax: +39-2-63338943 
1-20124 Milano 
Sub-contractors: 
(1) MONTEFLUOS SpA 
(2) DATAMONT SpA 
(3) SIME SpA 
Montedipe (petrochemicals & plastics) and Montefluos (speciality chemicals) are operational 
companies of the Italian FERRUZI/MONTEDISON group, Datamont and SIME the appropriate telecom and 
informatic services for these groups. They propose to provide their internal'EDI and telecom 
experience to external trading partners, especially SME's. 
The project PUSHED is formed by four Italian companies, two of them are chemical producers and have 
involved their business partners, the two others are information technology and telecommunications 
providers. The group's expertise began within the CEFIC project three years ago. Since then, they 
have developed their own software translator package, EDI training courses and have already started 
pilot projects with some of the company's transporters. 
EDI is still quite unknown to the Italian market. Only a few multinationals have started an EDI 
project. Small and medium sized companies which constitute the large majority of the Italian 
economic system have yet to become aware of the strategic impact of the EDI technology and its 
advantages in international business. The companies which will be selected for participation in 
PUSHED will have the flexibility to modify their structure to allow for the EDI technology to be 
introduced within their organization. The pilot project includes the following four phases: 
Phase 1: Promotion 
The initial task of the project was to disseminate information in order to capture the attention of 
SMEs, public administration agencies and institutions. This was done with the objective of creating 
an initial EDI awareness, much needed in Italy. 
Phase 2: Identification of SME 
A number of criteria were defined for the selection of companies so that it would be possible to 
restrict the mailing to those really qualified. A letter of invitation was mailed to the chosen 
group of 200 SMEs, and with it a questionnaire whose purpose was to collect the preliminary business 
and technical information for each company that showed interest. 
Phase 3: Management and technical evaluation 
Three senior analysts will go to all SME involved to evaluate their facilities and operations in 
order to identify areas of EDI applications. Key documents will then be translated into EDIFACT 
standard in order to be sent through a network to their destination. At the same time hardware and 
software available in each company will be evaluated to verify the need for additional tools. 
Telecommunications can be done through a VAN or the internal set up already present in a company as 
long as it complies with EDIFACT and OSI standards. 
Phase 4:Trials 
When all the technical aspects have been resolved the actual trials will take place. Messages will 
be exchanged between the chemical companies and their chosen partners. Each pilot will become a case 
study for future use. 
.6* 
Annex F - page 12 
Project MUSIK 
Main contractor: 
GFI Tel: +33-1-47296000 
4, avenue Pablo Picasso Fax: +33-1-47290665 
F-92024 Nanterre Cedex 
GFI is the French part of the international operating SD-SCICON group, specialised in value added 
services and EDI. 
The ambition of the MUSIK project is to set up an EDI network, dedicated to the European 
Phonographic Industry, for all the indépendant producers and distributors in the European countries 
(EEC and EFTA). Industrial objectives of this projects are: 
to increase the sales of products created by independent producers in the field of 
classical music 
to improve the productivity of the producers and distributers concerned by reducing the 
time for commercial and financial operations. 
At the end of the pilot phase in March 1990 MUSIK will offer to the industry a range of three 
services: 
an electronic catalogue listing all the LPs, cassettes and CDs. Updated directly by the 
producers who will make additions and deletions, this catalogue will be able to be 
consulted at any time by members of the industry in France, Belgium and Germany. 
electronic interchange services for orders and invoices to EDIFACT standards. 
an inter-company messaging system to X.400 standards. 
The partners in the pilot phase include 12 editors, 4 distributors and about 30 record-dealers. The 
cooperation between the partners will be at three levels: 
Three different work groups will elaborate solutions for a common catalog of products, 
EDIFACT order and invoice messages and for the commercial relationship with mail-order 
network. 
One of the partners will act as a national representative and take care of the coordination 
of the work carried out by the participants of his country. 
The creation of the European piloting group which annually elects a professional 
representative at the European level will assure the consistency of simultaneous works. 
Major problems already identified concern the carrier network choice, the end-user's workstation, 
the disponibility of editors as well as the unsteadiness of the phonographic industry. 
-SV 
Annex F - page 13 
Project EDITRANS 
Main contractor: 
SGKV Tel: +49-69-283571 
Studiengesellschaft fur den Kombinierten Verkehr eV Fax: +49-69-285920 
Bôrsenplatz, 1 
D-6000 Frankfurt 1 
Studiengesellschaft fur den Kombinierten Verkehr (SGKV) is representing the German ministeries for 
traffic and for research and development concerning logistic and transport affairs. In this 
proposal, SGKV acts on behalf of the International Project Group COST 306. 
Main objective of the EDITRANS project is to demonstrate the viability of automatic data interchange 
in selected organisations throughout Europe. EDI messages to be used will be based on the IFTM 
Message Framework that has been developed to EDIFACT standards. So it is hoped that EDITRANS will in 
general promote the adoption of standardised EDI messages based on EDIFACT rules. 
A framework from which these messages might be developed has already been designed., This framework 
called IFTM is both international and intermodal and parts have already been tested in live trials 
during the European Research and Demonstration Project, COST-306. Members forming the project team 
of COST-306 bringing the experience gained from that project will now start work on the EDITRANS 
project. 
EDI as demonstrated in this project will enable the data that cover the international transport of 
consignments to be transmitted directly from the EDP system of one party in the transport chain 
directly into that of the next party. By such means of electronic transmission of transport data, 
the industry can ensure that the data concerning a consignment can arrive at its destination prior 
to the arrival of the consignment itself, thereby enabling parties concerned to organise on-going 
transport details before the arrival of the consignment. Overall this should achieve a reduction in 
transit time with an increased degree of information reliability. 
Currently the majority of transport related data is communicated via telex or fax often requiring 
typing and re-typing with resulting mistakes and delays. When such data is transmitted directly from 
one EDP system to another the communication will be faster and practically error-free. However, 
since sender and receiver will likely be running EDP systems based on differing hardware and 
software, before commencing EDI exchange still a number of requirements must be met. 
.5*-
ANNEX G ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES - 1988-1989 BUDGETS in KECU 
1. COORDINATION ACTIVITIES 
1.1 Coordination of existing EDI activities 
1.2 Standardization of EDI messages 
1.3 EDI and telecommunications 
1.4 Legal aspects of EDI 
1.5 EDI message security 
1.6 Software suitable for EDI 
1.7 Conformity of EDI messages and software 2 200 
500 
750 
130 
190 
250 
350 
30 
2. AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS 
2.1 Study of awareness of EDI 
2.2 Support to S.M.E. (12 pilot projects) 
2.3 Participation in conferences and 
exhibitions 
2.4 Publications / Material 
2.5 Information 2 700 
130 
2 300 
40 
200 
30 
3 ADMINISTRATIVE AND TECHNICAL 
COORDINATION SUPPORT 400 
TOTAL KECU 5 300 
ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(90) 361 final 
DOCUMENTS 
EN 16 
Catalogue number : CB-CO90-383-EN-C 
ISBN 92-77-62867-7 
PRICE 1 - 30 pages: 3.50 ECU per additional 10 pages: 1.25 ECU 
Office for Official Publications of the European Communities 
T _OQQ^ T uvarnKAiirn.