Putting semantic interoperability between small and micro-companies into practice

This paper describes the results achieved by the SEAMLESS project in the construction of a semantic infrastructure for interoperability between small and micro companies. It presents the ontology model, justifies the three-level hierarchy of ontologies and explains the multi-linguistic translation services for queries and business documents. The described semantic infrastructure is realised as a set of open source components and services that will be used by the SEAMLESS user-oriented collaboration services, which are briefly recalled at the end of the paper, and constitute the tangible project results from the SMEs and the mediators viewpoint. Such services are offered to SMEs all over Europe by mediators, i.e., entrepreneurial associations, chambers of commerce or ASPs facilitating the adoption of advanced ICT supports at their members