2 — Maintenance of the TDED

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 — continuing the former UN/ECE Working Party on Facilitation of 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 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.

Through the MAS, members may consult directly users of the TDED, national facilitation bodies and other interested parties, as required.

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.

A change in the 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.