22 December 2016: UNECE Secretariat has released the 2016-2 UN/LOCODE directory
21 December 2016: Elections of Vice-Chairs for the UN/CEFACT Plenary Bureau - Geneva, UN/CEFACT Plenary, Monday, 3 April 2017
Elections of Vice-Chairs for the UN/CEFACT Plenary Bureau will take place on Monday, 3 April 2017, in Geneva, during the 23rd UN/CEFACT Plenary. The Election Procedure for the UN/CEFACT Bureau can be found online (ECE/TRADE/C/CEFACT/2016/10/Rev.1).In accordance with the UN/CEFACT revised Mandate, Terms of Reference and Procedures (ECE/TRADE/C/CEFACT/2010/15/Rev.5) at least 4 Plenary Vice-Chairs may be elected.
Please note that all candidates must complete the Candidate Form in full and must also provide a current Curriculum Vitae.
Following guidelines from the UNECE Executive Committee, candidates have to be nominated by their country Head of Delegation/Government Agency/Permanent Mission. The nominations (including the completed candidate profile form and CV) should be sent to the UNECE secretariat by 9 February 2017.
1 December 2016: Call for Participation: UN/CEFACT is pleased to announce the launching of a new project, Pipeline Data Carrier. Information in business transactions today often resides in fragmented business and government systems; it is often transmitted from actor to actor on the information supply chain, sometimes being altered or omitted. The Pipeline principle seeks to capture data at its source, store it on a pipeline and allow each actor to incrementally add the information which concerns their action without changing what has already been placed in the pipeline. This project will aim to create a guidance document on this principle, describe the business process and data requirements as well as creating a sample pipeline carrier XML schema established as a subset of a Multi-Modal Transport Reference Data Model. For more information, contact the Project Leader, David Roff.
1 December 2016: The project’s purpose is to provide project managers with a recommended framework to develop the high level design for traceability systems for regulated goods in international trade. The framework shall help stakeholders to develop the description of the planned traceability system including the definition of the traceable asset, the policy claim system will support, the starting and end point of the traced supply chain, and the rules and the audit mechanisms for the governance of the system. The project deliverables will be:
- Trade Facilitation recommendation on an Framework to design traceability systems for Cross Border Trade
- Guideline that explains the framework for use of decision makers.
25 October 2016: Recommendation on Public-Private Partnerships in Trade Facilitation has been submitted today to the Heads of Delegation for intersessional approval by 25 December 2016.
31 October 2016: Two versions of the UN/CEFACT Cross Industry Invoice Schema based on the SCRDM Subset of the published D16B CCL and CCBDA 1.0 have been approved and are now available. Both versions include the code list schemas, one with them coupled and one with them uncoupled.
28 October 2016: The UN/EDIFACT directory version D.16B has been validated by the BPS Validation Team and approved for publication. It is now available in the UN/EDIFACT section of the UN/CEFACT website and can be downloaded from the UN/EDIFACT Directories.
13 October 2016: UN/CEFACT is pleased to announce the opening of the Public Review period for the Trade and Transport Facilitation Monitoring Mechanism recommendation project. This project aims to provide guidance on monitoring the effectiveness of policies and procedures that facilitate trade. The 60 days Public Review period will end on 14/12/2016. The Public Draft text is available on the CUE website. Any comments should be submitted to the project’s lead editor, Tengfei Wang using the comment template.
13 October 2016: UN/CEFACT is pleased to announce the opening of the Public Review period for the project entitled “Technical Note on Terminology for Single Window and Other Electronic Platforms. This project has aimed to elaborate on the five key aspects of the definition of a Single Window and to provide guidance on terminology for other types of platforms that fulfill a function similar to a Single Window.
The 60 days Public Review period will end on 14/12/2016. The Public Draft text is available on the CUE website. Any comments should be submitted to the project’s lead editor, Lance Thompson using the comment template.
05 October 2016: The UN/CEFACT Bureau has approved the publication of the Core Component Library 16B and the XML Schemas 16B.
25 September 2016: Following approval of the Library Publication Format Project, this is to announce a call for participation. The purpose of the project is to develop a format(s) for the publication of UN/CEFACT’s libraries as identified by the project proposal. The project will provide a machine-processable format for the library content that may easily be integrated by software providers as well as allowing browsing of the library content by humans.
Membership is open to UN/CEFACT Experts with broad knowledge in the area of standards production and publication and awareness of implementers’ expectations, the functions of UN/CEFACT, and its groups. The project team will work during the next months until 2017-06-01 mainly through conference calls and other electronic means. For more information, contact the Project Leader: Christian Huemer.
20 September 2016: UN/CEFACT is pleased to announce the opening of the Public Review period for Recommendation 36 - Single Window Interoperability (SWI). The new recommendation covers the mechanism required for the interconnectivity of two or more Single Window facilities. The recommendation also addresses the need for cross-border trade information exchange which requires the exchange of data/information beyond the National Single Window, i.e. across the border.
The 60 day Public Review period will end on November 20 2016. The Public Draft text and the comment template are available on the CUE website. Any comments should be submitted to the project’s editor, Colin Laughlan, using the comment template.
15 September 2016: UN/CEFACT is pleased to announce the launching of a new Single Window recommendation project on core principles for the operation of Single Windows. While they are increasingly integrated, interdependent with many vital systems and concentrating vital regulatory services, safe and efficient single window systems are critical to the effective functioning and the competitiveness of the economy. Adherence to core principles for the operation of Single Windows should prevent a domino effect on the other stakeholders and the economy in the case of its failure.
Basing on risk assessment and benchmarking, this project will be studying the best practices on the operation of single windows as core principles. They are intended to encourage the design and operation of safer and more efficient single windows systems worldwide. In emerging market economies and with the international context of trade facilitation they are likely to be of particular relevance, because of the efforts in these countries to improve systems or to build new ones in order to handle better the growing international trade flows from national and international markets;
These core principles may also be of use to advisers providing international technical assistance on how to achieve safety and efficiency. The group will officially begin during the 28th UN/CEFACT Forum in Bangkok with a Mini Conference on Wednesday 28 September. For more information, contact the Project Leader Richard Morton or Lead Editor Jalal Benhayoun.
30 August 2016: The UN/CEFACT Buy/Pay PDA is pleased to announce the opening of the Public Review period for the SCRDM Project. The purpose of this project is to develop and publish an international “Supply Chain Reference Data Model” for international & national trade. The 60 days Public Review period will end on October 30th 2016.
The RDM Guideline, SCRDM-BRS, SCRDM-RSM, SCRDM subset of the CCL and related green paper are available for review. Please download an article about the deliverables of the project.
Any comments should be submitted to the Project Lead Rolf Wessel and Lead Editor Gerhard Heemskerk using the Public Review Comment Template.
23 August 2016: Following approval of the Electronic Consignment Note UNSM (e-CMR) Project Proposal in the Ship PDA, this is to announce a call for participation. The scope of the project is to develop an international XML “Electronic Consignment Note” message (e-CMR) foreseen by the additional protocol to the convention on the contract for the international carriage of goods by road (CMR).
Implementation of standardised electronic consignment note for road transport shall harmonise the message exchange between carrier, shipper and receiver of the goods and shall facilitate further interactions with other modes of transport and government control authorities. Relevant experts and interested parties are invited to join the project team, which shall work during the next months, working mainly through conference calls and other electronic means. For more information, contact the Project Leader: Evgeniya Iafaev.
02 August 2016: The deadline to submitting DMRs for UN/EDIFACT D.16B and CCL D.16B has been reached. Submissions are closed until next publication period. You can follow the development of the new UN/EDIFACT in the CUE Collaborative Environment UN/EDIFACT D.16B - Publication Cycle.
19 July 2016: Following approval of the Procedures for Reference Data Model & Associated Artefacts Publication Project, this is to announce a call for participation. The scope of the project is to describe the complete process from inception to publication for Reference Data Model development and publication. The project will define how to implement the Open Development Process, ODP, for Reference Data Model artefacts. As a proof of concept a draft of either the current Supply Chain Reference Data Model, SCRDM, or the current Multi Modal Transport Reference Model, MMT, under development or both will be prepared for publication. This project is closely linked to the projects SCRDM and Prodedure for CCTS 2.01 & CCBDA 1.0 & NDR 2.1 Artefacts Publication. Membership is open to UN/CEFACT Experts with broad knowledge in the area of standards production and publication and awareness of implementer’s expectations, the functions of UN/CEFACT, and its groups. The project team will work during the next months until 2017-06-01 mainly through conference calls and other electronic means. For more information, contact the Project Leader: Ulrike Linde.
18 July 2016: UN/CEFACT is pleased to announce the start of a new project on “Core vocabulary related to single windows and similar platforms.” This project will seek to provide a more consistent use of the term ‘single window’ and propose other terms to clearly distinguish different types of systems. The resulting white paper is intended to be an annex to UNECE Recommendation 33 on Single Window. If you are interested in participating in this project, please contact the project leader, Abdoulaye BASSE or lead editor, Jari Salo. The first conference call is scheduled to take place on August 28th 2016 from 13:00 CET. The development of this Project can be followed on the Collaborative UN/CEFACT Environment “CUE”.
11 July 2016: UN/CEFACT reminds that the cut-off date for submission of new DMRs for UN/CCL D.16B and EDIFACT D.16B is the 1st of August 2016.
5 July 2016: Following approval of the Women in Trade Facilitation project, this is to announce a call for participation. The scope of this project is limited to Women in Trade Facilitation and the deliverable will be white paper. Relevant experts and interested parties are invited to join the project team, which shall work during the next months, working mainly through conference calls and other electronic means. For more information, contact the Project Leader: Paloma Bernal, and/or the Lead Editor: Daniel Sarr.
1 July 2016: UNECE Secretariat has released the 2016-1 UN/LOCODE directory
27 June 2016: The UN/CEFACT Buy/Pay PDA is pleased to announce the opening of the Public Review period for the Extension of CII Technical Artefacts Project. The purpose of this project is to develop the technical artefacts needed in order to allow users to implement the CII based on the SCRDM and Core Component Business Document Assembly (CCBDA). The 60 days Public Review period will end on August 27th 2016. BRS and RSM are available for review. Any comments should be submitted to the Project Lead Natascha Rossner and Lead Editor Gerhard Heemskerk using the Public Review Comment Template.
23 June 2016: Online registration to the 28th UN/CEFACT Forum is now open.
10 June 2016: The UN/EDIFACT directory version D.16A has been validated by the BPS Validation Team and approved by the UN/CEFACT Bureau for publication. It is now available in the UN/EDIFACT section of the UN/CEFACT website and can be downloaded from the UN/EDIFACT Directories.
09 June 2016: Core Component Library 16A.1 has been published. This version is an update of CCL 16A to include the CCs and Reference BIEs for the Supply Chain Data Reference Model (SCRDM) and the BIEs needed to support the Cross Industry Invoice Schema based on CCBDA 1.0.
09 June 2016: The UN/CEFACT Cross Industry Invoice Schema based on CCL 16A.1 and CCBDA 1.0 has been approved and is now available.
7 June 2016: Following approval of the Revised Cross Industry Scheduling project, this is to announce a call for participation. This project aims to update the 2008 version of this deliverable. These business processes are to exchange information for the scheduling supply chain management such as demand forecast, inventory forecast… To register interest in participating or for more information, please contact the project lead, Mr. Samy Scemama. The development of this Project can be followed on the UN/CEFACT Collaboration Environment.
06 June 2016: The Extension of Cross Industry Invoice technical artefacts Leader, Natascha Rossner, France, is pleased to announce the Bureau has approved the start of the Extension of Cross Industry Invoice technical artefacts project. The project proposal can be found enclosed to this Call for Participation. To sign-up to the project, please contact the project lead Natascha Rossner by indicating : your name, your country of delegation, your email address and telephone number.
24 May 2016: A second 60-day Public Review is open for the recommendation project on Public-Private Partnerships in Trade Facilitation. This project studies the application of classic Public-Private Partnership models to specific Trade Facilitation measures and analyses the various risks to be considered when thinking of this type of financing. It further proposes a methodology for assessing the implementation of a Public-Private Partnership for Trade Facilitation measures. Within the context of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement adopted in November 2014, Trade Facilitation is a central aspect for the future of international trade. Financing these projects will increasingly be a challenge, especially for transitional and developing economies. This recommendation project aims to provide a contribution in this sense. The draft recommendation is being submitted for a second Public Review following substantial changes made based on comments received from the UNECE secretariat. The final draft text of the recommendation and the guidelines for Public Review and the template for all comments are available on the Public-Private Partnerships in Trade Facilitation - Public Review page.
17 May 2016: Following the approval of the project Recommendation on Trade and Transport Facilitation Monitoring Mechanisms (TTFMM) this is to announce a call for participation. Relevant experts and interested parties are invited to join the project team that will work collaboratively to develop the Recommendation over the next six to eight months, mainly through conference calls and other electronic means. For more information, please contact the Project Leader Somnuk KERETHO, Lead Editor Tengfei WANG and Editor Paloma BERNAL TURNES.
02 May 2016: The UN/CEFACT Schema library version D.16A has been approved and is now available along with the validation report and release notes.
02 May 2016: The UN/CEFACT Bureau has approved the publication of the Core Component Library 16A.
08 March 2016: The UN/CEFACT project team behind the "Background Research on Public Procurement Using International Standards" is pleased to announce its approval and wishes to herewith invite interested parties to participate in the project. The aim of such Research is to determine whether there is sufficient need, in the global market, for UN/CEFACT to formulate a proposal for the development of a global Recommendation or a set of Standards regarding public procurement. Given the diversity of entities and procedures actually in use in the field of public procurement, the need for a comprehensive overview appears warranted, in order to provide an intellectual levelled-playing field between UN efforts (like the WTO "Government Procurement Agreement" and UNCITRAL "Model Law on Public Procurement"), rules and regulations adopted by the major Multilateral Development Banks (with particular regard to "New Procurement Framework" recently adopted by the World Bank), the European Union landscape (following the 2014 relevant Directives) and different other international public Procurement systems. Before formulating a proposal for further UN/CEFACT developments in this area, this project will aim at providing such an overview through information gathering and research of existing literature and legal texts, with a view to identify issues which indicate the compelling importance of a basic, common, guidance in the development/use of Recommendations and Standards in public procurement.
The project proposal, sign-up information, and other details are available on the UN/CEFACT Collaboration Environment.
To register interest in participating or for more information please contact the Lead Editors: Mr. Raffaele Fantetti or Mr. Edmund Gray.
The development of this Project can be followed on the UN/CEFACT Collaboration Environment.
03 March 2016: Call for participation on Project “Verified Gross Mass Exchange UNSM (VERMAS)”. Following approval of the VERMAS UNSM Project Proposal, this is to announce a call for participation. This Project concerns the development and publication of an international EDIFACT “Verified Gross Mass Exchange Message” for international & national trade and this is closely linked to the new IMO Verified Gross Mass regulation as amendment to the SOLAS Convention which will be introduced with worldwide effect on July 1st 2016. To register interest in participating or for more information please contact Mr. Michael Schröder. The development of this Project can be followed on the UN/CEFACT Collaboration Environment.
18 February 2016: The UN/CEFACT Sectoral Program Development Area is pleased to announce the opening of the Public Review period for the Electronic Interchange of fisheries catch data Project. The 60 days Public Review period will end on April 18th 2016.
16 February 2016: The UN/CEFACT Recommendation 20 Revision 12 has been validated by BPS Validation Team and approved by UN/CEFACT Bureau for publication. It is now available in the Recommendations Section of the UN/CEFACT Website.12 February 2016: The UN/CEFACT Methodology and Technology Program Development Area is pleased to announce the opening of the Public Review period for the Procedure for CCTS 2.01 & CCBDA 1.0 & NDR 2.1 Artefacts Publication Project. The 60 days Public Review period will end on April 12th 2016.
08 February 2016: UN/CEFACT reminds the cut-off dates for submission of new DMRs for UN/CCL D16A and UN/EDIFACT D16A:
- 07th of March 2016 (for UN/CCL)
- 14th of March 2016 (for UN/EDIFACT)
14 January 2016: On-line registration to the 22nd UN/CEFACT Plenary is open.