European Database System
European Transport Documents in your pocket

FAQ: European Transport Documents Database System (ETDDS)

Welcome to the European Transport Documents Database System (ETDDS). This FAQ covers common questions about the system, its purpose, usage, security, and support. If you don’t see an answer to your question, please contact the ETDDS support team.

Overview

What is ETDDS?

ETDDS is a centralized, cross-border database designed to store, manage, verify, and share transport-related documents across European jurisdictions. It aims to streamline processing, reduce duplication, and improve transparency for authorities, enterprises, and researchers.

Who uses ETDDS?

What counts as a "transport document"?

Documents that certify aspects related to the transport of goods or individuals (e.g., bills of lading, transport permits, vehicle registration documents, or other regulatory proofs as defined by participating jurisdictions).

Access & Roles

How do I get access to ETDDS?

Access is granted through an institutional account. Your organization’s administrator will request user accounts for you. You’ll receive onboarding steps, including identity verification and role assignment.

What user roles exist?

How are permissions managed?

Permissions are role-based and can be scoped to namespaces (e.g., country, region, or regulatory domain). Access can be time-bound and audit-trailed.

Can I access ENDDS from outside the office?

Yes, via secure remote access. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) and IP-restriction policies may apply, depending on your organization’s security posture.

Data, Documents, and workflow

What types of documents are stored?

Transport certificates, attestations, test reports, patent disclosures, classification documents, and any regulatory evidence supporting transport claims, along with their metadata.

How is data organized?

Documents are stored in namespaces (e.g., by country or regulatory domain) with structured metadata: title, applicant, issuer, issue date, expiration, status, version, and related linked records.

What is the lifecycle of a document in ETDDS?

Can documents be amended after submission?

Yes, but amendments typically require re-validation and may create a version history to ensure traceability.

How is version control handled?

Each document has versioned records. Changes create a new version while preserving previous versions for audit purposes.

How is data integrity ensured?

Digital signatures, hash checks (e.g., SHA-256), and audit trails are used to ensure integrity and non-repudiation.

Search, Export, and Interoperability

How do I search for documents?

SEARCH by keywords, document IDs, applicant names, issuer, date ranges, status, and metadata filters. Faceted search helps refine results.

Can I export data?

Yes, export options exist for standard formats (PDF, XML, JSON, CSV) with configurable fields. Exports respect access controls and data minimization rules.

Does ETDDS integrate with other systems?

ETDDS supports APIs for interoperability with national registries, ERP systems, and regulatory portals. OAuth2 or similar mechanisms handle authentication.

How is privacy handled?

Access to personal data is restricted to authorized roles. Data minimization and anonymization are applied where appropriate. Compliance with GDPR and applicable local laws is maintained.

Security & Compliance

How is data secured?

Encryption at rest and in transit, MFA, strict access controls, regular security audits, and incident response procedures.

What about data retention?

Retention policies are defined per document type and jurisdiction. Old or superseded records may be archived or deleted in line with policy.

How are audits performed?

Immutable audit logs record user actions, document changes, and system events. Regular internal and external audits are conducted.

What about disaster recovery?

ENDDS has backup and disaster recovery plans, with defined RTOs (Recovery Time Objectives) and RPOs (Recovery Point Objectives).

Privacy and Legal Considerations

Is personal data collected?

Where required, yes. Access is limited to authorized personnel. Personal data handling follows GDPR and local regulations.

Are there access limits for researchers?

Researchers may access aggregated or de-identified data unless there is a justified need for raw personal data, which would require additional approvals.

What are user responsibilities?

Respect data access rights, maintain credential security, report suspicious activity, and adhere to organizational policies and ENDDS terms of use.

Maintenance, Support, and Training

How is ENDDS maintained?

Regular software updates, security patches, and feature enhancements are deployed with change management processes.

Where can I get help?

Are there training resources?

Yes. Interactive tutorials, webinars, and documentation are available. Regional training sessions may be offered by your national regulator or domain administrator.

How do I report a problem or request a feature?

Use the Support Portal to submit a ticket. Include relevant details: user role, affected module, screenshots, and steps to reproduce.

Troubleshooting

Best Practices

Quick Start