Towards Ontology Based Information and Communication Systems in the Single European Information Space for SMEs

This paper shows the importance of using a cross-sectoral interoperability framework based on ontologies, for facilitating communication among companies. This semantic interoperability framework is deployed in Building & Construction (B&C) and Textile & Clothing (TEX) sectors, inside the Seamless Project, focusing on SMEs. The definition of the ontological framework has included some semantically related previous results in TEX and B&C and their crossovers. This final solution is the basis for developing the eRegistries of the SEEM Network with the objective of improving communications and data exchanges among companies, increasing their visibility at a European level and facilitating the location of new partners. Nowadays a business case is deployed in the textile sector among seven SMEs using the TexWeave data model. This solution is ontology based since business interoperation depends heavily on how effectively SMEs are able to understand precisely the meaning of the business requests among them