Data on medical causes of death are an essential source of epidemiological information. The reliability of these statistics depends primarily on the quality and completeness of physicians’ medical certification. A major project focused on modernizing the method of certifying medical causes of death is currently being implemented by Inserm and the Directorate General for Health. The main objectives of this project are to reduce the time required to make medical causes of death available and to improve data quality. It is based on an application for the electronic transmission of medical causes of death. After six months of testing, the application has been very well received by users. The goal of reducing delays has been fully achieved. A gradual rollout of the system will take place in 2007 and 2008 (R.A.)