GS1 System

The EAN/UCC system is the unique international number system, symbolical and identification of products, services, transportation and national units. This system provides:

effective management of supply chain in industry and trading sectors
simplify the business transactions and electronic commerce, controlling business transactions

From the foundation of the EAN/UCC system 1974, its goal is to provide a uniform identification system around the world and to ensure a global language through the bar code in the international trade.

As the global unique system of symbolical and identification of products, it provides:

Automatic identification
Contemporaneous information and application of the business communication system
Effective cooperation with the business partners in the world
Export’s promotions
The increasing of efficiency in work achieving the best results in business

This system is expanded very fast in technology and different areas, with a presence in other different economic areas and sectors. It is getting an important role in all development’s processes in the world.
The EAN/UCC system is used in all productive and non productive areas. The advantage of its application, in the countries with a high development of technology, is used: in trade, production, warehousing, health care, banks, library, laboratories, in office etc.
Nowadays, more than 1.000.000 companies from 156 countries of the world are members of international organization that manage the EAN/UCC system and apply global standard that aims the efficiency ‘s improvement of supply chain.
The GS1 system is a set of standards that facilitate business transactions and electronic commerce processes. It aims the improvement of supply chain management by reducing costs and adding value to both goods and services.

The GS1 System is composed of four key product areas:

	Global data and application standards for bar codes that use the globally recognised GS1 Identification Keys to automatically identify things such as trade items, locations, logistic units, and assets.
	Global standards for electronic business messaging that allow rapid, efficient and accurate automatic electronic transmission of agreed business data between trading partners. Based on two components: GS1 EANCOM and GS1 XML.
	The Global Data Synchronisation Network™ (GDSN™) is an automated, standards-based, global environment that enables secure and continuous data synchronisation, allowing all partners to have consistent item data in their systems at the same time.
	A new global standards system that combines RFID (radio frequency identification) technology, existing communications network infrastructure and the Electronic Product Code (a number for uniquely identifying an item) to enable immediate and automatic identification and tracking of an item through the whole supply chain globally, resulting in improved efficiency and visibility of the supply chain.

GS1 also offers solutions integrating a number of GS1 products. Traceability is a robust solution for tracking and tracing items through the food supply chain. GS1 system is a very large system that provides a common global language for all the exports, imports manufactures, retailers to give them an effective trade between partners all around the world.