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EAN-UCC:

The European Article Numbering-Uniform Code Council (EAN-UCC) is the international
organization of product barcodes, which are placed on nearly every product sold
worldwide.

The UCC or Uniform Code Council is the USA Numbering Organization, which governs
and supervises the EAN·UCC system standards for the United States of America and
Canada.

The Global Trade Item Numbering system (GTIN) is the EAN-UCC. The GTIN number is
14 digits long and can be created by using four numbering structures. The structures
depend on the precise application and barcode symbology used. Numbering Structures
are found in the 14-digit GTIN are: EAN.UCC-14, (0+EAN.UCC-13), (00+EAN.UCC-12)
and (000000+EAN.UCC-8). EAN.UCC-12 is also referred to as UPC-A. The EAN.UCC-8
is an 8-digit code used small items that a large code would not fit, such as candy.

When you look closely at a barcode, you don't need a computer to understand every
part of the barcode. There is a set pattern for the numbering structure. Right-justified
zeros always complete the 14 digits. The Country and Company Prefix is assigned
by EAN.UCC. This number indicates the manufacture. Each trade item is given a
different number. The last digit is a checksum, which is used to verify if errors
were entered during transmission or storing of data.

Books and all serial publications that are sold in the United States and internationally
are given GTIN (EAN-UCC-13) codes. The prefix is the familiar ISBN number with
978 and recalculating the trailing checksum digit. EAN·UCC checksum is automatically
generated.

Barns and Noble booksellers and employees were informed in February 2005, that starting
at the end of March, their computer systems would have the ability to search for
books by EAN to make easy a switch over from the current US standard of ISBN codes
to the EAN and sales receipts will list the EAN number, instead of the ISBN. However,
Barns and Noble computers will still have the ability to search by ISBN numbers
on older books, which were not assigned an EAN number.

The UCC (Uniform Code Council) required by January 1, 2005all manufacturers to replace
the 12-digit UPC codes with the 13-digit EAN codes. In addition, by January 1,
2005, publishers are required by the U.S. ISBN agency to communicate ISBN numbers
as EAN-UCC-13. On January 1, 2007, the new 979 prefix for U.S. publications will
be available.

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