Promoting Trade in
Agriculture through
Improved Supply Chains
Geneva, 12 May 2004
Bolivar Pereira pereira@ean-int.org
Myths about EAN International

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
EAN
is a bar code label vendor

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EAN
is an RF tag vendor

EAN
stands for the European Article
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
––––––––––––
Numbering
Mission Statement
The mission of EAN International and the Member
Organizations is to take a leading role in
establishing a global multi-industry system of
identification and communication for products,
services, locations based on internationally
accepted and business led standards.
FOCUS OF EAN
The focus of EAN is to provide
solutions and standards that add
value to the relationship AMONG
TRADING PARTNERS.
The focus is not to optimize
internal enterprise systems.
The global EAN Membership
1,000,000
900,000
800,000
700,000
600,000
500,000
400,000
300,000
200,000
100,000
0
1994
1995
1996
EUROPE
1997
AMERICA
1998
ASIA-PACIFIC
2000
1999
AFRICA
UCC
2001
EAN International - World Map
 99 local EAN Organizations
 1 million member companies worldwide
 5 billon scanning transactions per day
EAN International member countries
Manufacturer numbers are allocated on
a direct basis by EAN International
EAN member companies
come from a large variety of industries
Other:
Other
2%
•Fishing
Agriculture, Hunting and
Forestry (01-05)
2%
•Electricity
•Construction
Not Otherwise classified
35%
Manufacturing
39%
•Hotels
•Education
•Health & social work
•Mining
•Real estate
•Transport
Other Community
14%
Wholesale
8%
EAN Milestones

1974 – Ad-hoc council of manufacturers &
distributors look at developing UPC compatible
product numbering standard for Europe

1977 – Establishment of EAN system &
association. 12 founder members

1991 – Adoption of current “global” Mission
EAN Milestones (cont’d)

1995 – Creation of EAN.UCC Global Policy
Committee

1996 – With UCC, adoption of “Global Policy
Principles Guiding UCC/EAN Standards”

1998 – EAN and UCC agree joint strategic plan and
common committee structure
EAN Milestones (cont’d)

2000 – EAN and UCC agree to use a
project approach in decision-making related
to the maintenance and development of the
EAN.UCC system

2002 – UCC and ECCC join EAN
International as Member Organizations

Today network of 101 Member Organizations
covering 103 countries

30 staff in Brussels and >1,400 world-wide
EAN Structure

User-driven organization
 Two-thirds of the EAN Management Board are
from trade and industry
 Users are represented on the Boards of the
Member Organizations
 Member Organizations and users participate at the
EAN General Assembly
 Users’ demands are submitted by the Member
Organizations to EAN Head office
EAN International Explained
The Global EAN.UCC system:

Delivers a multi industry identification standard
based on a structured, non significant numbering
system

Endorsed set of symbologies (bar codes) and other
data carriers (RFId) as well as messaging
standards

System identifies: products and product attributes,
services, shipments, assets, locations, etc.

Is a recognized ISO standard and uses
UN/EDIFACT
EPCglobal…
EPCglobal is leading the
development and
adoption of industrydriven technology
standards for the
revolutionary Electronic
Product Code (EPC)
Network to support the
use of radio frequency
identification (RFID) in
today’s fast-moving,
information rich trading
networks.
What makes RFID different
compared to barcodes?
RFID - Where It Fits
• Long Range
• Location Finding
• Larger R/W Memory
• Non-Line-of-Sight
• Simultaneous ID
Functionality
• R/W Memory
• Non-Line-of-Sight
• Simultaneous ID
• Very Rugged
Passive Tag
2D Bar Code
• Larger Data Capacity
• Greater Data Integrity
Linear Bar Code
1234 5670
Active Tag
• Lowest Cost
Cost
But ...
• Most Expensive
• Limited Life
• Less Rugged
Why RFID?

Eliminates human error

No line of sight required

Performs in rugged, harsh environments

Dynamic multi-block Read/Write capability

Simultaneous reading & identification of multiple
tags in field
Why Bar code?

Very inexpensive
5 412345 678908 >
EAN.UCC LOGISTICS LABEL

Eliminates human error

Performs in some
From
EAN International
rue Royale 145
B-1000 Brussels
To
UNIFORM CODE COUNCIL
8136 Old Yankee Road
Dayton, Ohio 45459
U.S.A.
SSCC
3 5412345 123456789 2
rugged, harsh
CONSIGNMENT
541234550127501
SHIP TO POST
840 45459
environments
(4 0 1)5 4 1 2 3 4 5 5 0 1 2 7 5 0 1 (4 2 1)8 4 0 4 5 4 5 9

Line of sight required
(0 0 )3 5 4 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 2
What future for bar codes?

RFID offers some important advantages:
 Non line of sight
 Read/write
 ‘Near simultaneous’ multiple detection
But there are drawbacks - not least cost!
The future will be a hybrid world The right technology for each different application
EAN.UCC Standards for Traceability
ID Numbers

Standard Identification of items

Standard data carriers for representing data

Standard Electronic Commerce messages
Principles of Traceability

The ability to find the history, use or localisation
of an item by:
 Recording, and storing, every movement of an item
in the supply chain
 Registering the source of the item
 Maintaining the database information for the life-
cycle of the product
Traceability in action

Product traceability
 to identify defective lots
 to recall concerned products

Logistic traceability
 to follow the logistic unit through the supply chain
 to enable the capture of detailed information
 to allow a response in case of problem
UCC/EAN-128 Symbol
00334531200004563580
For tracing your products
00334531200004563580
Log unit / 01 01 / 22
The SSCC

The Serial Shipping Container Code is a standard
for the individual identification of logistic units
(pallets, barrels, crates, containers,...)

The SSCC can be used by all parties in the supply
chain as a “KEY” to the relevant information held
in computer files
The Serial Shipping Container Code (SSCC)
Extension
digit
N1

EAN.UCC Company Prefix
Serial reference
N2 N3 N4 N5 N6 N7 N8 N9 N10 N11 N12 N13 N14 N15 N16 N17
Check
Digit
N18
It is a non-significant, fixed length, 18 digits number
which contains no classifying elements.
The whole number identifies the logistic unit.
Structure of License Plate Number Serial Shipping Container Code
Unique Identification of Transport Units
ISO/IEC 15459-1
ISO/IEC 15459-2
General
Registration Procedures
unique Issuing Agency Code (IAC) allocated to administering body
unique code allocated from administering body to user
unique code allocated to transport unit by user
check digit
3 4054321 123456789 5
EAN International is registered
issuing agency (allocated IAC 0 to 9)
EAN•UCC Keys

AI 401: Consignment Number - Identifies a logical
grouping of goods (one or more physical entities)
that has been consigned to a freight forwarder and
is intended to be transported as a whole.
Company Prefix
N1 ...
Consignment information
Ni
Xi+1 ...
variable length
Xj (j<=30)
EAN•UCC Keys

AI 402: Shipment Identification Number (Bill of
Lading) - A number assigned by a consignor. It
provides a globally unique number that identifies a
logical grouping of physical units for the purpose of
a transport shipment.
Company Prefix
Shipper Reference
N1 N2 N3 N4 N5 N6 N7 N8 N9 N10 N11 N12 N13 N14 N15 N16
Check
digit
N17
Industry Endorsements
What Logistics Users Are Saying about
EAN.UCC System
FIATA – International Federation of
Freight Forwarders

Memorandum of Understanding Signed in August
2001

“FIATA will participate in the standards
development work of EAN International related to
the transport sector”

“FIATA will promote the use of the existing
EANUCC standards within the transport and
freight forwarding environment”

“FIATA will encourage its national and direct
members to become members of national EAN
organisations”
Australian Logistics Council

Barcoding the Logistics Industry (1/4/03)

Compatible along the supply chain

Faster delivery of goods, fewer handling and
shipping errors, better inventory management and
a reduction of ordering and replenishing times

Will make it easier for Australian exporters to meet
the tightened security requirements
Swedish International Freight Association

Issued a recommendation last year, based on
EAN•UCC standards for Shipment ID

Builds upon best practice in international trade and
industry

“SSCC is the most widespread concept for tracking
of individual packages, recommended by FIATA”

EAN•UCC organization stands as a guarantee for
long lasting stability
EAN Standard’s Role in Trade Facilitation

“Trader id” concept via the GLN (Global Location
Number) which can be validated through internet

Can be applied to all international goods
movements, unique at both national and
international level

Facilitation of trade-customs partnership

Minimize bottlenecks in the global supply chain
Questions?
Bolivar Pereira
pereira@ean-int.org