Digital Product Conformity and Claims 

Action: Enabling Trusted Trade Through Verifiable Certificates and Claims 

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Overview / Executive Summary 

GS1 Australia played a critical role in the development of a national and global framework for digital product conformity, helping to digitise testing, inspection and certification records. Working with NATA, JAS-ANZ, NMI and Standards Australia - with foundational support from the Department of Industry, Science and Resources - this initiative addressed key gaps in digital trust and traceability across global supply chains. 

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Background / Context 

In many supply chains, test and certification data still circulates in static formats such as PDFs or emails, creating risk, cost and friction. Australia’s product conformity community recognised the need to modernise how conformity data is shared across certification bodies, regulators, and buyers - both domestically and internationally. 

This national initiative aligns with global trends and now informs international guidance through the United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT). 

🔗 NATA Supply Chain Integrity Initiative

🔗 UN/CEFACT Standard on Digital Conformity Data

Objectives 
  • Establish a consistent, standards-based approach for sharing digital product conformity information 

  • Support Australian businesses with tools to demonstrate compliance and quality across markets 

  • Enable digital certificates and verifiable credentials to flow securely across global supply chains 

Approach / Implementation 
  • Contributed technical and policy leadership through the Digital Credentials Working Group 

  • Co-authored the national discussion paper and supported the development of international standards 

  • Demonstrated how GS1 standards can support machine-readable, verifiable certificate exchange 

  • Engaged with government and industry to promote adoption and interoperability 

🔗 Download: Digitalisation of Product Certificates, Claims and Credentials (PDF) -

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Outcomes / Impact 
  • Established a shared technical framework and vision for verifiable digital conformity documentation 

  • Enabled alignment with global trade and conformity frameworks, including ISO and W3C standards 

  • Influenced the adoption of the new UN/CEFACT guidance for governments and conformity bodies worldwide 

  • Supported pilots and prototypes for digitised certificates using GS1 Digital Link and Verifiable Credentials 

Lessons Learned / Insights 
  • Foundational identifiers and shared metadata structures are key to scaling digital trust 

  • Global alignment is possible - and essential - for reducing duplication and compliance burden 

  • Cross-sector and cross-border collaboration builds robust, future-proof solutions 

Next Steps / Future Plans 
  • Continued collaboration with global conformity bodies to refine and implement the framework 

  • Exploration of registry models and credential exchanges across sectors (e.g., AgVetChem, building products, medical devices) 

  • Development of education and implementation tools for Australian exporters and certifiers 

Partners / Stakeholders 
  • NATA – National Accreditation Body 

  • JAS-ANZ – Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand 

  • Standards Australia 

  • National Measurement Institute (NMI) 

  • Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR) 

  • GS1 Australia 

Consultation > Contact us
For More Information - Contact Us

📞 GS1 Australian Public Policy Team 
📧 publicpolicy@gs1au.org
+613 9558 9559 or 1300 BARCODE