B4.1 Has data harmonization and standardization been conducted based on international standards/guidelines, such as the United Nations Rules for Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transport, United Nations Code for Trade and Transport Locations, single window recommendation of the United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business, to support cross-border paperless trade data exchange?
Background
Data harmonization and standardization involves a set of activities that improve the consistency in the use of data elements in terms of their meaning and representation format. A standard set of data, codes and messages to meet all information requirements related to import, export, and transit procedures should be adopted. If this data harmonization and standardization is done based on international standards which are adopted by most organizations or countries in the region, it will minimize changes in the national system process and database structure when implementing cross-border data exchange electronically.
Good Practices
Documents and data elements used for cross-border data exchange must be harmonized and standardized between the dialogue country partners. When data harmonization and standardization for automated systems or the single window systems of the country is developed based on international standards and guidelines, it minimizes changes in the national system process and database structure when implementing cross-border data exchange electronically. International standards and guidelines should be adopted for this endeavor, such as the UN rules for Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce ad Transport; UN Code list; UN Core Components Library; WCO Data Model; and UN/CEFACT single window recommendations.
References and Case Studies
- UNNExT Data Harmonization and Modelling Guide for Single Windows Environment, https://www.unescap.org/resources/data-harmonization-and-modelling-guide-single-windows-environment
- UNECE Recommendation No. 34, Data Simplification and Standardization for International Trade, http://tfig.unece.org/contents/recommendation-34.htm
- UNECE Recommendation No. 33. Recommendations and Guidelines on establishing a Single Window, https://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/cefact/recommendations/rec33/rec33_trd352e.pdf
- WCO Data Model, http://tfig.unece.org/contents/wco-data-model.htm
- UN/CCL, https://www.unece.org/cefact/codesfortrade/unccl/ccl_index.html
- Data Harmonization Case Study, http://www.wcoomd.org/-/media/wco/public/global/pdf/topics/wto-atf/dev/data-harmonization-for-sw-a-case-study-from-oman-_-wco-news-february-2014.pdf?la=en