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Nomenclature is challenging because "technical specification" has different meanings in different areas of the world.  For example, a technical specification in CEN is a lower grade, less permanent deliverable likely to be revised.  A standard, on the other hand, is intended to be stable and products shall conform to the requirements.

to limit how a specific technology will be used to carry or represent the data.

GS1’s Global Trade Identification Number (GTIN) is an example of a high-level application standard that is completely independent of a technical specification because it can be applied regardless of whether bar code, RFID or even human-readable characters are used to represent it.

facilitate electronic communications by developing appropriate standards for information exchange among all health care trading partners.

ncluding electronic data interchange message formats, bar code labeling data standards, universal numbering systems, and the provision of databases which assure common identifiers.

Standardized manufacturer, customer, and product identification codes, including the Labeler Identification Code (LIC), Health Industry Number (HIN®), and Universal Product Number (UPN®) and the Health Industry Bar Code (HIBC) Standards

Bar Code standards have been developed mostly by AIM (http://www.aimglobal.org) though some of these have now been adopted by ISO. See a summary of Bar Code Standards.

An example of the use of the barcode technology standards would be the use by the Health Industry Business Communications Council (HIBCC)

Buying organizations, such as the US Department of Defense (DOD), require all manufacturers doing business with them to identify and bar code their products with the UPN. The objective is to make the UPN the single ordering number for medical/surgical products.

Another form of tag is often called the smart label. This is really a paper (or similar material) label with printing, but also with an RFID tag embedded in it. Examples are shown below (with the antenna structure shown in the corner).