The Global Language of Business

OpenPEPPOL and GS1 sign a Memorandum of Understanding to generate further benefits for their users

On 27th March 2019, at the OpenPEPPOL Annual General Assembly, OpenPEPPOL and GS1 formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding to initiate collaborative working.

OpenPEPPOL and GS1 sign a Memorandum of Understanding to generate further benefits for their users

André Hoddevik, Secretary General OpenPEPPOL AISBL and Miguel Lopera, President and CEO of GS1.

Brussels. 27 March 2019. Both OpenPEPPOL and GS1 play an important role in enabling electronic business around the world and are confident about the added value that their collaboration can create for end users of their respective standards. Both organisations are neutral players that enable electronic trading across organisations and borders by providing interoperability between systems, for the benefit of business, the public sector and citizens.

To generate further benefits for their members, the two organisations will establish a deeper working relationship to share technical expertise and undertake joint activities where their respective services and solutions overlap. OpenPEPPOL and GS1 will align their promotional and communications materials to provide clarity for end users of their services.

Announcing the agreement, André Hoddevik, Secretary General of OpenPEPPOL, said: “I am pleased that we have reached this important understanding with GS1. There is great potential in ensuring our respective standards are in alignment and ensuring that our service providers and end users understand how to maximise the benefits that can be derived by implementing GS1 and PEPPOL standards and solutions. I look forward to working together with GS1 over the coming years”.

Miguel Lopera, President and CEO of GS1 said: “The recently approved GS1 Electronic Data Interchange (“EDI”) strategy sets the grounds for adopting seamlessly new technologies such as Universal Business Language (“UBL”). The Memorandum of Understanding will enable to explore and discuss in good faith the use of GS1 identification keys and GS1 EDI standards in PEPPOL as well as the use of PEPPOL services by GS1 member companies. We are looking forward to a closer collaboration with OpenPEPPOL for the benefit of the GS1 global user community”.

The Memorandum of Understanding has an initial term of two years and will be reviewed annually, with continuation by mutual consent.

About OpenPEPPOL

OpenPEPPOL enables businesses to easily trade electronically with public sector organisations in pre-award and post-award procurement processes, thereby enabling greater competition for government contracts and the realisation of more efficient transactional processes. OpenPEPPOL is a non-profit international association established under Belgian law consisting of both public and private sector members.

OpenPEPPOL members are jointly committed, to implement a set of commonly agreed specifications, supporting various procurement related processes including, but not limited to, electronic invoicing in the public and private sector. OpenPEPPOL operates the PEPPOL eDelivery Network, which connects a significant number of Service Providers that offer a set of PEPPOL-compliant services within a frame of governance based on agreeing, and adhering to, a set of binding rules that are defined and applied by the Association through the active participation of its members. OpenPEPPOL has its main base of members and users in Europe, however, it extends globally and the PEPPOL eDelivery Network as well as the PEPPOL Business Interoperability Specifications (BIS) have a global relevance and reach, enabling standards-based, interoperable processes at the business and technical level.

About GS1

GS1® is a neutral, not-for-profit organisation that provides global standards for efficient business communication. We are best known for the barcode, named in 2016 by the BBC as one of “the 50 things that made the world economy.” GS1 standards improve the efficiency, safety and visibility of supply chains across physical and digital channels in 25 sectors. We enable organisations of all types and sizes to identify, capture and share information seamlessly. Our scale and reach – local Member Organisations in 112 countries, 1.5 million user companies and 5 billion transactions every day – help ensure that GS1 standards create a common language that supports systems and processes across the globe.

GS1 media contact:

Carlos Carnicero Urabayen

André; Hoddevik, Secretary General OpenPEPPOL and Steve Graham, GS1 UK Health department.

Henri Barthel, Vice President GS1 System Integrity & Global Partnerships, André Hoddevik, OpenPEPPOL AISBL, Miguel Lopera, President & CEO of GS1, Steve Graham, Department of Health and Social Care.