diff --git a/build.gradle.kts b/build.gradle.kts
index 3875dbda8..d2bcd793b 100644
--- a/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/build.gradle.kts
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ allprojects {
     // configure which version of the annotation processor to use. defaults to the same version as the plugin
     configure<org.eclipse.edc.plugins.autodoc.AutodocExtension> {
         processorVersion.set(edcVersion)
-        outputDirectory.set(project.buildDir)
+        outputDirectory.set(project.layout.buildDirectory.asFile.get())
         // uncomment the following lines to enable the Autodoc-2-Markdown converter
         // only available with EDC 0.2.1 SNAPSHOT
         // additionalInputDirectory.set(downloadDir.asFile)
@@ -85,11 +85,6 @@ allprojects {
     }
 
     configure<org.eclipse.edc.plugins.edcbuild.extensions.BuildExtension> {
-        versions {
-            // override default dependency versions here
-            metaModel.set(edcVersion)
-
-        }
         pom {
             // this is actually important, so we can publish under the correct GID
             groupId = project.group.toString()
diff --git a/edc-controlplane/edc-controlplane-postgresql-azure-vault/notice.md b/edc-controlplane/edc-controlplane-postgresql-azure-vault/notice.md
index fa34738d8..ab3ec7a1d 100644
--- a/edc-controlplane/edc-controlplane-postgresql-azure-vault/notice.md
+++ b/edc-controlplane/edc-controlplane-postgresql-azure-vault/notice.md
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ Eclipse Tractus-X product(s) installed within the image:
 
 ## Used base image
 
-- [eclipse-temurin:17.0.9_9-jre-alpine](https://github.com/adoptium/containers)
+- [eclipse-temurin:21.0.2_13-jre-alpine](https://github.com/adoptium/containers)
 - Official Eclipse Temurin DockerHub page: <https://hub.docker.com/_/eclipse-temurin>
 - Eclipse Temurin Project: <https://projects.eclipse.org/projects/adoptium.temurin>
 - Additional information about the Eclipse Temurin
diff --git a/edc-controlplane/edc-controlplane-postgresql-azure-vault/src/main/docker/Dockerfile b/edc-controlplane/edc-controlplane-postgresql-azure-vault/src/main/docker/Dockerfile
index 473b89158..d01776c49 100644
--- a/edc-controlplane/edc-controlplane-postgresql-azure-vault/src/main/docker/Dockerfile
+++ b/edc-controlplane/edc-controlplane-postgresql-azure-vault/src/main/docker/Dockerfile
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 #
 #  SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 #
-FROM eclipse-temurin:17.0.9_9-jre-alpine
+FROM eclipse-temurin:21.0.2_13-jre-alpine
 ARG JAR
 ARG OTEL_JAR
 ARG ADDITIONAL_FILES
diff --git a/edc-controlplane/edc-controlplane-postgresql-hashicorp-vault/notice.md b/edc-controlplane/edc-controlplane-postgresql-hashicorp-vault/notice.md
index 42d662305..7c8c1658c 100644
--- a/edc-controlplane/edc-controlplane-postgresql-hashicorp-vault/notice.md
+++ b/edc-controlplane/edc-controlplane-postgresql-hashicorp-vault/notice.md
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ Eclipse Tractus-X product(s) installed within the image:
 
 ## Used base image
 
-- [eclipse-temurin:17.0.9_9-jre-alpine](https://github.com/adoptium/containers)
+- [eclipse-temurin:21.0.2_13-jre-alpine](https://github.com/adoptium/containers)
 - Official Eclipse Temurin DockerHub page: <https://hub.docker.com/_/eclipse-temurin>
 - Eclipse Temurin Project: <https://projects.eclipse.org/projects/adoptium.temurin>
 - Additional information about the Eclipse Temurin
diff --git a/edc-controlplane/edc-controlplane-postgresql-hashicorp-vault/src/main/docker/Dockerfile b/edc-controlplane/edc-controlplane-postgresql-hashicorp-vault/src/main/docker/Dockerfile
index 67fa4151a..418eec1f7 100644
--- a/edc-controlplane/edc-controlplane-postgresql-hashicorp-vault/src/main/docker/Dockerfile
+++ b/edc-controlplane/edc-controlplane-postgresql-hashicorp-vault/src/main/docker/Dockerfile
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 #  SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 #
 
-FROM eclipse-temurin:17.0.9_9-jre-alpine
+FROM eclipse-temurin:21.0.2_13-jre-alpine
 ARG JAR
 ARG OTEL_JAR
 ARG ADDITIONAL_FILES
diff --git a/edc-controlplane/edc-runtime-memory/notice.md b/edc-controlplane/edc-runtime-memory/notice.md
index 19a980387..f72b20232 100644
--- a/edc-controlplane/edc-runtime-memory/notice.md
+++ b/edc-controlplane/edc-runtime-memory/notice.md
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ Eclipse Tractus-X product(s) installed within the image:
 
 ## Used base image
 
-- [eclipse-temurin:17.0.9_9-jre-alpine](https://github.com/adoptium/containers)
+- [eclipse-temurin:21.0.2_13-jre-alpine](https://github.com/adoptium/containers)
 - Official Eclipse Temurin DockerHub page: <https://hub.docker.com/_/eclipse-temurin>
 - Eclipse Temurin Project: <https://projects.eclipse.org/projects/adoptium.temurin>
 - Additional information about the Eclipse Temurin
diff --git a/edc-controlplane/edc-runtime-memory/src/main/docker/Dockerfile b/edc-controlplane/edc-runtime-memory/src/main/docker/Dockerfile
index 8932c1e60..8c93d6a28 100644
--- a/edc-controlplane/edc-runtime-memory/src/main/docker/Dockerfile
+++ b/edc-controlplane/edc-runtime-memory/src/main/docker/Dockerfile
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 #  SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 #
 
-FROM eclipse-temurin:17.0.9_9-jre-alpine
+FROM eclipse-temurin:21.0.2_13-jre-alpine
 ARG JAR
 
 ARG APP_USER=docker
diff --git a/edc-dataplane/edc-dataplane-azure-vault/notice.md b/edc-dataplane/edc-dataplane-azure-vault/notice.md
index 26fd3bc66..423885b08 100644
--- a/edc-dataplane/edc-dataplane-azure-vault/notice.md
+++ b/edc-dataplane/edc-dataplane-azure-vault/notice.md
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ Eclipse Tractus-X product(s) installed within the image:
 
 ## Used base image
 
-- [eclipse-temurin:17.0.9_9-jre-alpine](https://github.com/adoptium/containers)
+- [eclipse-temurin:21.0.2_13-jre-alpine](https://github.com/adoptium/containers)
 - Official Eclipse Temurin DockerHub page: <https://hub.docker.com/_/eclipse-temurin>
 - Eclipse Temurin Project: <https://projects.eclipse.org/projects/adoptium.temurin>
 - Additional information about the Eclipse Temurin
diff --git a/edc-dataplane/edc-dataplane-azure-vault/src/main/docker/Dockerfile b/edc-dataplane/edc-dataplane-azure-vault/src/main/docker/Dockerfile
index 5ab505140..68c730258 100644
--- a/edc-dataplane/edc-dataplane-azure-vault/src/main/docker/Dockerfile
+++ b/edc-dataplane/edc-dataplane-azure-vault/src/main/docker/Dockerfile
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 #
 #  SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 #
-FROM eclipse-temurin:17.0.9_9-jre-alpine
+FROM eclipse-temurin:21.0.2_13-jre-alpine
 ARG JAR
 ARG OTEL_JAR
 ARG ADDITIONAL_FILES
diff --git a/edc-dataplane/edc-dataplane-hashicorp-vault/notice.md b/edc-dataplane/edc-dataplane-hashicorp-vault/notice.md
index fc1834d86..0aaf194ca 100644
--- a/edc-dataplane/edc-dataplane-hashicorp-vault/notice.md
+++ b/edc-dataplane/edc-dataplane-hashicorp-vault/notice.md
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ Eclipse Tractus-X product(s) installed within the image:
 
 ## Used base image
 
-- [eclipse-temurin:17.0.9_9-jre-alpine](https://github.com/adoptium/containers)
+- [eclipse-temurin:21.0.2_13-jre-alpine](https://github.com/adoptium/containers)
 - Official Eclipse Temurin DockerHub page: <https://hub.docker.com/_/eclipse-temurin>
 - Eclipse Temurin Project: <https://projects.eclipse.org/projects/adoptium.temurin>
 - Additional information about the Eclipse Temurin
diff --git a/edc-dataplane/edc-dataplane-hashicorp-vault/src/main/docker/Dockerfile b/edc-dataplane/edc-dataplane-hashicorp-vault/src/main/docker/Dockerfile
index fa32b71b2..5e42900a9 100644
--- a/edc-dataplane/edc-dataplane-hashicorp-vault/src/main/docker/Dockerfile
+++ b/edc-dataplane/edc-dataplane-hashicorp-vault/src/main/docker/Dockerfile
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 #  SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 #
 
-FROM eclipse-temurin:17.0.9_9-jre-alpine
+FROM eclipse-temurin:21.0.2_13-jre-alpine
 ARG JAR
 ARG OTEL_JAR
 ARG ADDITIONAL_FILES