2 — Maintenance of the Trade Data Elements Directory

A joint UNECE - ISO Maintenance Agency is entrusted with the maintenance of the Trade Data Elements Directory (TDED), also known as the United Nations Trade Data Elements Directory (UNTDED) and as the International Standard ISO 7372, in order to keep UNTDED/ISO 7372 up to date to meet changing or new requirements in trade. The membership and procedures of the MA, as set out below, have been designed to reflect the dual nature of the TDED as an intergovernmental recommendation and a non-governmental ISO International Standard.

The ISO Council, in accordance with the provisions of Annex 1G of the Directives for the technical work of ISO, has designated an ISO 7372 Maintenance Agency (ISO 7372/MA). The ISO 7372/MA together with the maintenance function set up by the UNECE WP.4 Working Party on Facilitation of International Trade Procedures (now UN/CEFACT), jointly constitute the TDED Maintenance Agency, hereafter referred to as MA.

The MA, as authorized by the UNECE WP.4 and by the ISO Council, is entrusted with the following functions:

• a) To add to or to eliminate data elements from TDED and to assign numeric identifiers (tags) in accordance with the rules provided in Section 5 of TDED;
• b) To inform interested parties appropriately of such changes, etc.;
• c) To prepare periodically and disseminate amendment sheets to users in order to allow proper up-dating of TDED;
• d) To establish as required, in the normal course of work, additional rules for the practical application of the principles for:
  • selecting data elements and assigning them a name and a numeric identifier (tag);
  • grouping data elements into broad categories;
  • the presentation of standard data elements and their use for international trade information interchange.

The secretariat of UNECE and the ISO Central Secretariat participate ex officio in the MA, whose membership - besides the UNECE WP.4 Working Party on Facilitation of International Trade Procedures, now UN/CEFACT, its Forum and empowered groups - is composed of inter-governmental and non-governmental bodies and of representatives of ISO national Member Bodies, of ISO TCs (Technical Committees) and ISO/IEC JTC1 SCs (Sub-Committees) concerned, as set out below, each being entitled to appoint one official participant (head of delegation).

The membership of the ISO 7372/MA shall be open to one official representative (head of delegation) from each of the ISO Member bodies being ISO/TC154 P members and the following technical bodies:

• - ISO/TC37 Terminology and other language resources
• - ISO/TC46 Information and documentation
• - ISO/TC68 Financial services
• - ISO/TC154 Processes, data elements and documents in commerce, industry and administration
• - ISO/TC184 Industrial automation systems and integration
• - ISO/TC204 Intelligent transport systems
• - ISO/TC215 Health informatics
• - ISO/IEC JTC1/SC31 Automatic identification and data capture techniques
• - ISO/IEC JTC1/SC32 Data management and interchange

The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), through the Trade Division, and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) jointly provide the secretariat for the MA.

The responsibilities of the MAS are:

• To receive proposals for changes and additions to, or deletions of, data elements in TDED;
• To make appropriate suggestions or proposals and to circulate them to MA members for comments and/or decision within a specified period of time;
• To maintain a master of the TDED.

Proposals for changes and additions to, or deletions of, data elements in the TDED can be received from:

• - any ISO member body;
• - any government and international organization member of UN/CEFACT;
• - any other international organization representing users of the directory;

and shall be submitted to the MAS, using the TDED Change request form. This form can be obtained from the ISO/TC154 web: http://www.iso.org/tc154 .

Any proposals for changes, additions or deletions which have a bearing on an existing data element used in UN/EDIFACT should be submitted by the MA to the UN/EDIFACT maintenance procedures.

Any proposals for changes, additions or deletions of a data element used in UN/EDIFACT which have a bearing on an existing non-UN/EDIFACT data element in TDED should be submitted to the MA.

As a general principle, to ensure continuity and stability in the TDED, changes should be kept to a minimum.

2.4.2.1 Change of the name or description of an existing data element

If the concept of the data element is not affected, a change of the name or description of an existing data element will not result in a change of the already assigned numeric identifier (tag).

The previous name will be cross-referenced.

If it is proposed to change the name or description of a data element in such a way that, without substantially changing the concept, its application area is extended or further clarified, the numeric identifier may be retained provided that there are no objections from users who might be adversely affected by the change.

2.4.2.2 Change in the concept of a data element

A change in a concept of a data element will result in the assignment of a new numeric identifier.

The previous concept and identifier will be retained for a transitional period of time, to be determined in each case after consultation with users.

2.4.2.3 Addition of data elements

Any new data element agreed upon by the MA for inclusion in the TDED will be assigned a numeric identifier within the group to which the data element belongs. This applies also to provisional data elements.

2.4.2.4 Deletion of data elements

Data elements marked for deletion (with only tag, name and date of deletion) shall stay forever in the Directory, with provision of the migration path “use instead: …”. Hence the numeric identifier of a data element marked for deletion shall not be re-used for a new data element.

The MA, recognizing that:

• its Data Maintenance Request (DMR) procedures shall be predictable, fully documented and transparent,
• the best available tool is the Core Component Technical Assessment Checklist (cc TAC, see ISO/TS15000-5 ebXML CCTS), and that in addition,
• the ISO 7372/MA DMR procedures shall be, where relevant, fully consistent with the UN/CEFACT DMR procedures,

the MA resolved to have the possibility of issuing and applying a Technical Assessment Checklist (TAC) for the production of a later edition of TDED.

Proposals received by the MAS shall be circulated to MA members along with suggestions by the secretariat as appropriate, for response within a specified period of time, normally not less than two months. The need for MA members to institute internal consultations before committing themselves will be taken into account by the MAS in determining the time for response.

Before circulating a proposal, the MAS shall endeavour to assess the implications of this proposal on data element applications, which are known to it. For this purpose, the MA through the MAS may consult directly users of the TDED, national facilitation bodies and other interested parties, as required.

If an urgent need arises for the introduction of a new data element, or for change of an existing one, the MAS is authorized to accept a proposal on a provisional basis, subject to subsequent considerations as set out above, and on conditions that the proposing party accepts the possibility of rejection of, or amendment to, the proposal in the course of normal procedure.

Agreement on proposals is obtained either by correspondence or at a meeting of the MA, provided that the matter has been included in the draft agenda of the meeting.

In accordance with ISO rules, as far as the ISO members of the MA are concerned, decisions shall be reached by a vote. Each ISO member of the MA has one vote. An associate member has the same status as an ordinary member but does not participate in voting.

In cases of urgency, the views of the members of the MA may be obtained by telephone; these should be confirmed in writing, by e-mail or similar means.

Failure to reply within the reply period specified is considered as an abstention.

Decisions of the MA should be supported by a substantial majority of its members.

If a substantial majority is not achieved, the voting will be repeated or considered at a following meeting of the MA. The letter ballot shall be accompanied by all comments received from the first vote and a MAS recommendation. Time for response: one month. In determining the outcome of the second vote, the majority is calculated on the basis of expressed affirmative and negative votes.

If voting is repeated on individual proposals this procedure shall not delay publication of those proposals, which have gained the necessary support. In cases where it has not been possible to accept a proposal, the submitter of the proposal shall be informed of the reasons.

An amendment (i.e. change, addition or deletion) becomes effective when approved by the MA and will be published as often as required and possible, but not more often than annually.

The availability of amendments to ISO 7372 shall be announced to the ISO member bodies and to UNECE users by the MAS.

Practical arrangements for the preparation, reproduction and dissemination of TDED and amendment sheets to TDED shall be the responsibility of the secretariat of UNECE.