GS1 in Europe Regional Forum for the first time held in Sofia

For the first time in Sofia the GS1 in Europe Regional Forum is held. The event is organized every year in a different country – member of the GS1 community, and this year is hosted by GS1 Bulgaria.

From 17 to 21 October representatives of 47 national GS1 organizations from Europe and Asia have the opportunity to share experience from the implementation of the GS1 standards in the different countries, to participate in trainings, workshops, and project meetings, to discuss ways of improving and facilitating the activities of companies from different sectors of industry which use the GS1 standards. Part of the planned meetings and trainings were dedicated to the application of the GS1 standards in healthcare, omni-channel trade, technical industries, banking and cash handling, eInvoicing, etc.

The key words of the GS1 in Europe Regional Forum 2016 are collaboration, growth and innovation. In its activity GS1 in Europe gives great importance to cooperation and idea sharing between the separate GS1 organizations in order to improve the services for companies using the GS1 standards and provide innovative, harmonized solutions to facilitate their activity and contribute to their sustainable development.

Iliana Paunova, Executive Secretary of the Bulgarian Organization for Medicines Verification reported on Bulgaria’s progress in the implementation of the requirements of DIRECTIVE 2011/62/EU regarding the prevention of the entry into the legal supply chain of falsified medicinal products. Bulgaria is the second EU member-state that immediately started implementing the requirements of the Directive. In 2019 a certification of the finished system is expected to take place.

Bulgarian supplier “Bella Bulgaria” also had the opportunity to make a presentation. The company informed about the way GS1 standards have contributed to its sustainable development. After the implementation of the GS1 standards the company achieved the following results:

• 99.5% accuracy in inventory keeping;
• Optimization of the supply chain;
• 100% online orders for sales;
• 75% eInvoices;
• Optimization of business processes;
• Competitive advantages.