Over many years, a coding scheme has been developed, managed and maintained within ENTSO-E (under the Common Information Model Expert Group) to facilitate cross-border exchanges and to efficiently and reliably identify different objects and parties relating to the Internal Energy Market (IEM) and its operations. This is known as the Energy Identification Coding (EIC) scheme, approved by ENTSO-E for the harmonisation and implementation of standardised electronic data interchanges. The scheme is supported by a central issuing office (CIO – ENTSO-E’s Secretariat) and ENTSO-E-authorised local issuing offices (LIOs) across Europe. These LIOs are electricity and gas Transmission System Operators along with third party associations such as A&B, APCS, BDEW, DVGW, EFET and ENTSOG, which, in liaison with taxation offices also, are responsible for the EIC scheme operations.