What Is an EAN?

• EAN-13 is a GS1-compliant barcode format used internationally outside the United States and Canada.
• EANs and UPCs function the same way, but EANs contain 13 digits instead of 12.
• The additional digit forms part of the country code, which indicates where the barcode was registered, not where the product was made.
• GTIN-13 is the modern GS1 term for EAN-13, supporting global marketplace requirements, including Amazon.

EAN (or EAN-13) originally stood for “European Article Number,” but it has since been reclassified by GS1 as “GTIN-13: Global Trade Identification Number.” This format is used outside of the United States and Canada as the primary barcode standard.

How is an EAN different from a UPC?

EANs and UPCs issued through GS1-USA are functionally identical except for one key difference: an EAN contains 13 digits, while a UPC contains 12. The additional digit forms part of the country code, indicating where the barcode was registered. This code does not reflect where the product itself was manufactured.

What does an EAN look like?

The image below shows an example of an EAN (GTIN-13) barcode.