The eFTI4EU project primarily focuses on the authorities’ side of the eFTI echxange environment according to Regulation EU 2020/1056, particularly on the development and implementation of the eFTI Gate, which is a crucial component of the electronic Freight Transport Information (eFTI) system.
This project not only specifies the necessary requirements but also actively develops the eFTI data exchange infrastructure. The final outcome, i.e. the eFTI Gate reference implementation, which refers to a working model or prototype of the system, helps to ensure interoperability and system adaptation. The releases mentioned in the text (such as 0.5 and 0.9) represent different versions of this reference implementation, which are made available as open-source resources for stakeholders to use and build upon as an outcome of the project.
On June 12-13, the technical experts of the eFTI4EU team gathered in Helsinki for an intensive two-day hybrid co-development meeting. This event focused on discussion rounds and solution finding related to various critical aspects of the project, including eFTI data, data models, interfaces exchange mechanisms (such as i.e., eDelivery), and the reference implementation.
The experts engaged in in-depth discussions on key data components crucial to the project and interfaces. Topics related to the registry of identifiers were also explored, emphasizing the importance of accurate and reliable data management in the eFTI framework.
The reference implementation was clearly defined to follow the latest version of regulations and now the team is working hard on the first release (0.1). In future releases 0.5 and 0.9 will be published as open source. As eFTI4EU project result the open-source reference implementation will be available for all stakeholders, in particular other Members States, to exploit. Additionally, discussions were held on creating a robust testing process and environment for the project partners and pilot actions. Later on, these could potentially provide test options also for other stakeholders. However, testing and quality management are crucial for ensuring the system’s quality, reliability and effectiveness before full-scale eFTI deployment.
Finally, Helsinki’s birthday fell on the same day as the summit, which added to the event’s significance and made it even more special.