The European Vending & Coffee Service Association (EVA) has officially introduced its new SmartLink specification to the wider industry, presenting the interoperability framework during Venditalia last month.

Designed to modernise communication across unattended retail environments, EVA SmartLink is an open and secure architecture intended to connect vending machines, professional coffee machines, payment systems and management software through a common standard.

Visitors to the EVA stand were able to see live demonstrations of machines and peripherals integrating SmartLink technologies.

According to the association, the specification has been developed in response to longstanding interoperability challenges within the industry. The unattended retail sector currently relies on a range of legacy communication protocols, including MDB and Executive, which can limit compatibility between equipment and peripherals. Additional proprietary modifications introduced by some suppliers have further increased integration complexity and costs for operators.

EVA also highlighted growing market demands for enhanced connectivity, improved user experiences and compliance with evolving regulations covering cybersecurity, data access and fiscalisation.

Development of the specification has been led by an EVA working group over the past two years, following several years of research into industry requirements and the limitations of existing communication standards.

Built on OPC Unified Architecture (UA), SmartLink has been designed as an open and freely accessible specification that companies can implement without licensing restrictions. EVA said the approach is intended to encourage adoption across both European and international markets.

The association believes the standard could help reduce integration complexity, accelerate product development and shorten time-to-market for new unattended retail solutions.

Over the coming months, EVA plans to promote the specification through a series of national vending association events and discussions with industry stakeholders.

The SmartLink working group, chaired by Alessandro Ratti, includes machine manufacturers, payment providers and operators. The group will continue refining the specification and gathering industry feedback, with a final version expected to be published by the end of 2026.