Introduction
A digital eCoC is more than XML plus a seal. Behind IVI 2.0 sits a rulebook: the ICM (Interoperability Content Messagebook). It defines which fields are mandatory, optional or not applicable — by category, stage and context.
ICM 3.1 is the current version many platforms and NAPs work with. For an OEM with a large IT team, an ICM update is a project. For a trailer builder (O1–O4) or a multi-stage bodybuilder it mainly means: what should I watch, and how do I avoid a NAP rejection?
What is the ICM, in plain language?
The IVI 2.0 XSD schema describes how the XML is structured: tags, types, nesting. The ICM describes what the content may or must be: which business rules apply, which combinations are valid, which fields become mandatory in your situation.
Without ICM checks you can seal a syntactically “valid” file that the NAP still rejects — because a mandatory field is missing, a code is no longer allowed, or a rule for your category was tightened.
What does an ICM release mean for small series?
Not every release hits every type equally. Typically you see:
- New or tighter mandatory fields — something optional before becomes required for certain categories or stages.
- Updated codes or enumerations — values that used to work are replaced or restricted.
- Clearer multi-stage rules — what the base manufacturer must pass on, and what the last manufacturer must take over or complete.
For categories M, N and O (passenger cars, commercial vehicles, trailers) this matters from the European digital deadline of 29 November 2026. National small series and other categories (L, T, …) sit under other frameworks — always check your own type approval.
Why validate before signing?
A qualified seal or QES via eID Easy is not “save”. It is a legal act on a concrete file. If you sign and submit, and the NAP rejects it, that costs time: re-check data, new version, re-sign, re-submit.
Validating before signing means: XSD and current ICM first. You see errors in the workflow, not only in an authority error message.
That is not a luxury for big plants. For an SME with a few dozen or a few hundred eCoCs a year, it is the difference between “we fix it over lunch” and “the customer is waiting for registration”.
How On-Road follows ICM releases
On-Road is live SaaS from Certiflow BV (Belgium), in collaboration with Ballistix (part of Vandelanotte). In practice:
- New and updated dossiers are checked against IVI 2.0 XSD and the current ICM (now 3.1) before you sign.
- On an ICM or XSD release we publish a short release note: what changed, from when, what to check.
- Open dossiers keep the rule version they were built with. An open file does not silently shift under your hands.
You do not need to read the Messagebook to start. You work from template + VIN; the platform shows what blocks.
Practical checklist on an ICM update
- Read the release note: which categories/stages?
- Open one typical template (trailer or bodybuild) and run validation.
- Fix missing fields in the template, not only per VIN.
- Sign only when validation is green.
- Submit via the NAP from the platform; keep status and reference.
Short takeaway
ICM 3.1 is not a marketing label. It is the rulebook that decides whether your eCoC is content-ready for the gate. For small manufacturers, one habit matters most: validate before signing, on a platform that follows ICM releases without you maintaining XSD yourself.
CTA: Want to see your type approval as a template under ICM 3.1? Book a short demo — live product, no waitlist.