In this paper we propose a novel protocol to exchange information within a distributed multi-layer architecture for adaptive intelligent robotic systems. Initially the architecture and its dedicated operating system ETHNOS (Expert Tribe in a Hybrid Network Operating System) are presented. They are both based on Experts: symbolic, sub-symbolic and procedural processes that operate concurrently to accomplish different tasks. The OS allows the experts to be distributed over a network to take advantage, depending on the tasks to be carried out, of the particular computational power of a machine. It is the system that transparently handles communication between experts, regardless of where they are in execution using the integrated EIEP (Expert Information Exchange Protocol). This paper focuses on the description of the EIEP, its implementation and usage. Finally experimental results and applications in mobile robotics are illustrated.