EMVO continues to strengthen the European Medicines Verification System (EMVS) through technical improvements to the EU Hub and practical guidance aimed at reducing recurring alerts.
This page provides the latest information on the upcoming EU Hub Release 1.20, Schema 2026.1, endpoint and certificate changes, as well as practical recommendations for Marketing Authorisation Holders (MAHs) and On-Boarding Partners (OBPs).
EU Hub Release 1.20 and Schema 2026.1
EU Hub Release 1.20, currently planned for January 2027, will introduce Schema 2026.1.
Schemas 2018.1 and 2021.1 will remain available during a defined transition period.
EMVO therefore strongly recommends that OBPs begin preparing their migration to Schema 2026.1, which is the recommended long-term schema version.
Endpoint and certificate changes
New EU Hub endpoints and certificates are expected to be published towards the end of 2026.
OBPs migrating to Schema 2021.1 or Schema 2026.1 must complete the required endpoint migration before March 2027, when the current endpoints will be discontinued.
What OBPs should do now
OBPs are encouraged to:
- assess their current schema version and define an appropriate migration plan;
- begin preparing their migration to Schema 2026.1;
- coordinate migration activities with their Gateway Provider or IT Provider well in advance;
📌 These changes are intended to further improve the security, stability and resilience of the EMVS while supporting continuity of service.
Further guidance on the schema change
A dedicated Schema Change Q&A provides practical information concerning:
- schema migration;
- endpoints;
- certificates;
- technical requirements;
- and transition arrangements.
EMVO will also continue to organise Schema Change Webinars to provide updates, explain technical requirements and answer questions.
Register for an upcoming Schema Change Webinar
Reducing Recurring EMVS Alerts
A relatively small number of recurring scenarios can generate a significant volume of alerts across the EMVS.
Many of these alerts can be avoided through appropriate data preparation, validation and operational checks before packs enter the supply chain.
For example, if a batch has not been uploaded to the EU Hub before release, an alert will be generated when a pack belonging to that batch is subsequently verified. This may result in investigations involving manufacturers, wholesalers and pharmacies and may ultimately require reporting to the relevant National Competent Authority.
The following recommendations are based on recurring alert trends observed across the EMVS.
EU A2 – Uppercase / Lowercase Mismatch
Why this happens
Batch IDs are case-sensitive. Differences between uppercase and lowercase characters may therefore result in an A2 alert.
How to prevent it
- Enter Batch IDs exactly as encoded on the pack.
- When entering Batch IDs manually, verify that Caps Lock or other keyboard settings have not altered the characters.
A3 – Unknown Serial Number
An A3 alert may occur when the serial number being verified cannot be found in the EMVS.
How to prevent it
- Ensure that all relevant pack data has been successfully uploaded to the EU Hub.
- If a batch or individual packs have not been uploaded, upload the required data as soon as the issue is identified.
- When investigating an A3 alert, verify whether other serial numbers belonging to the same batch have also been successfully uploaded.
Recommended production and serialisation sequence
To minimise the risk of A3 alerts, the following sequence should be respected:
- Generate the serial numbers.
- Apply the Unique Identifier to the pack.
- Complete packaging and reconciliation, including the removal of packs intended for quality-control testing, retention/reference samples or destruction.
- Upload the Unique Identifier data to the EMVS.
- Release the batch for sale or distribution.
Regulatory requirement
Under Article 33 of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/161, Unique Identifier data must be uploaded to the EMVS before the medicinal product is released for sale or distribution.
Retention, reference and QC samples
Retention, reference and quality-control samples should generally not be uploaded to the EMVS.
Where packs have already been uploaded and are subsequently designated as samples, they should be decommissioned using the status “SAMPLE”.
A7 / A24 – Pack Already Decommissioned
These alerts can occur when an action is performed on a pack that has already been decommissioned or has an incompatible status.
How to prevent it
- Verify the current pack status before performing a Product Status Update (PSU).
- When investigating an A7 or A24 alert, check whether the Pack Last Update Location (PLU) corresponds to your Organisation ID.
- Wait until a successful PSUM callback has been received before verifying packs.
Why this matters
Although another organisation may have triggered the alert, the underlying root cause may originate from an earlier action performed by your organisation.
A68 – Special Characters in Batch IDs
Why this happens
Some special characters cannot be correctly recognised when packs are scanned, resulting in A68 alerts.
How to prevent it
Avoid unsupported special characters in Batch IDs.
Although characters such as:
. / – \
may be permitted under GS1 standards, they may create scanning issues and are therefore not recommended.
Batch Uploaded Under Multiple GTINs
Incorrectly uploading packs under multiple or inappropriate GTINs can contribute to verification issues and unnecessary alerts.
How to prevent it
- Upload packs only under the correct GTIN (Product Code) intended for dispensing.
- Remove any unnecessary GTINs from the EU Hub, including GTINs corresponding to tertiary packaging.
Preventing Bulk Alerts
Errors that affect one pack can quickly generate large volumes of alerts when processing is performed in bulk.
Before processing large volumes of packs
- Perform the intended verification or decommissioning action on one single pack first.
- Confirm that the system returns the expected result.
- Proceed with bulk processing only after successful validation.
This simple control can prevent generating a large number of alerts.
Before Closing an Alert Investigation
Before selecting the investigation outcome “No root cause on my side”, confirm with the manufacturer that the information encoded and printed on the affected packs is correct.
This additional validation can help identify upstream data or production issues.
Additional Good Practices
To identify issues earlier and further reduce avoidable alerts, EMVO recommends that MAHs and OBPs consider the following practices:
- Ask the designated wholesaler to verify at least one pack from every newly released batch to help identify missing uploads early in the supply chain.
- Confirm receipt of a successful PSUM callback before verifying affected packs.
- Verify or decommission a single pack before initiating packs in bulk.
- Investigate A3 alerts proactively by checking whether all serial numbers belonging to the affected batch have been successfully uploaded to the EU Hub.