EAN

(EAN)

Making the UPC its model, established as global Common Product Code.

Established in 1977, for European countries of free economies. Member nations from the establishment is following:
France, Germany, England, Belgium, Luxembourg, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, Netherland, Austria (ordered by the number of Flag)
Japan and Spain in the next year 1978, Australia joined in 1989; then many countries joined one after another.

Today, EAN comprises the whole world, even communist economies, developing countries, etc.
(See Flag)

The name of management organization is changed from EAN (European Article Number ) to "International Article Number Association EAN."

EAN Code System

Flag (nation code)	2 or 3 digits
Maker Code	5 or 4 digits
Item Code of the Product	5 digits
Checkdigit	1 digit

Summary of EAN Symbol

* Character Set	Numeric
* Code Type	Continuous
* Length of symbol	Fixed
* Self Check	none
* Checkdigit	Needed (modulus 10)
* Character Density	5.4 to 2.1 chars/cm

Character Composition

In EAN symbol, there are 3 types of characters to one numeric data.

Left side Odd Parity
Left side Even Parity
Right side Even Parity

EAN Symbol expresses 13 digits by 12 characters. The first digit is called prefix, it has no character, but designated by the combination of Odd Parity and Even Parity, in the left 6 characters.
(See prefix)

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