Operations/Communications/Support (WT)

• Current Situation

• Workflow

• Change Request

• Library Maintenance

• Communication and Capacity Building

• Next Steps

Current Situation

• Extreme delay in CCL publication– Limited audit resources– Limited XML resources

• Errors found in published EDIFACT• Lack of documented “rules’ for audit• Lack of Communication Strategy• Lack of “Capacity Building” Strategy (has to be

based on the demands of the member states) Maybe this is knowledge dissemination? Need more involvement by UN/CEFACT experts.

CCL 10AStatus Date Elapsed Days

CCL first sent to ICG 29-Jun-10  

First level audit pass 31-Aug-10 63

TBG17 Resp 16-Sep-10 16

Integrate 10B submissions into 10A 29-Oct-10 43

First level audit pass - merged CCL 23-Nov-10 25

TBG17 Resp 30-Nov-10 7

Second level audit pass 6-Dec-10 6

TBG17 Resp 6-Dec-10 0

Third level audit pass 30-Dec-10 24

TBG17 Resp 4-Jan-11 5

RSM Issues - TBG responses 26-Jan-11 22

ICG approved 31-Jan-11 5

CCL published 2-Feb-11 2

Schema generated by TBG17 15-Feb-11 13

Schema generated by ATG2 22-Feb-11 11

Schema sent to ICG    

    242

Workflow

• Team led by Alain Dechamps

• Based on need for better workflow

• Based on agreement to align EDIFACT, TDED and CCL

Change Request

CRLogged

EDIFACT CCL TDED

Currently7372 MA

CurrentlyTBG17

CurrentlyATG1

Future: one team responsible for all libraries?

Library Maintenance

The following steps apply to all requests for changes to an existing library or libraries:

• Change request submitted and logged• Technical assessment• Semantic assessment• Harmonization• Update of library or libraries• Validation of updated library or libraries

– Quality Assurance– Formal Validation

• Publication

Change request submitted and logged A change request may be submitted by any interested party,

whether or not a member of UN/CEFACT. The format of the change request may vary depending on the software used by the submitter and the entry processing team and the requirements for change to the particular library or libraries. The change request is reviewed by the entry team, and assessed for completeness based on the specific checklist for the library or libraries impacted. The entry team will assess the impact of the change request to all UN/CEFACT libraries. If necessary the entry team will create the additional change requests for the impacted libraries that were not foreseen in the original change request. The submission is accepted, assigned a submission number, and logged into the UN/CEFACT library submission log. This log includes an indication of which libraries are impacted by the submission: CCL, EDIFACT, and/or TDED.

Technical assessment

The technical assessment team assesses the submission for technical correctness based on the technical assessment checklists for the libraries to be changed. If errors are found, the submitter and technical assessment team work together to correct the errors. Once the submission is technically error-free, the submission is forwarded to the semantic assessment team.

Semantic assessment

The semantic assessment team uses semantic assessment checklists to determine the correctness of the submission, bases on the libraries to be changed. Domain experts are needed to ensure that the submission will not compromise any existing information in the libraries and that the business need for the change is clearly documented.

Harmonization – Part 1

Harmonization is a process that is not unique to the update of libraries; instead it is a requirement for any UN/CEFACT publication. It requires that any publication be reviewed by experts to make sure that it fits acceptably within the publication of which it will be a part, in order to ensure that any syntax solutions are not adversely impacted.

Harmonization – Part 2

In the case of libraries, harmonization requires • comparison of the change to the existing library or

libraries to determine if it is indeed ‘new’ and not semantically equivalent to something that already exists

• that the change fits the domain (context) for which it is submitted

• that the change follows all rules of the harmonization for the libraries impacted

• any changes to the submission are agreed upon by the submitter and by the appropriate domain team

• adding references in the libraries to maintain and document the alignment between the libraries.

Update of library or libraries

The harmonization team updates the libraries as agreed by the submitter and the domain team.

Validation – Quality Assurance Part 1

An internal UN/CEFACT team (this may be the Harmonization Team) conducts a thorough review of the full library (or libraries) to ensure that all rules have been followed. This is accomplished using a Quality Assurance checklist. This checklist includes checks for editorial errors; if editorial errors are found, the team corrects them. If errors other than editorial are found, the QA team works with the submitter(s) to resolve the errors.

Validation – Quality Assurance Part 2

Submitters are required to review the updated library or libraries to ensure that theupdated version meets their business requirements and matches their documentation. If not, the process of harmonization and update resumes until all changes to the library are approved by the submitters.

One important part of the QA process is development of a syntax-solution(if one is requested) and review of the syntax solution by the submitter. This review may find discrepancies and require further changes, harmonization and update.

Formal validation – Part 1

Once the QA team (harmonization team and domain submitters) agrees that the libraries are correct, they are assessed by a formal validation team according to formal, published validation rules. This team may be composed of experts in the libraries, in the domains involved, in any syntax solutions produced, and in the publication of the particular libraries. Members of the harmonization team may participate in the formal validation, but only as observers.

Formal validation Part 2

The formal validation team produces a validation report indicating all issues found during the validation. If the library or libraries are not correct, the validation report is provided to the QA team for review and possible correction of the library or libraries.

Publication

Once the formal validation team agrees that the libraries are correct, the libraries are submitted to the UN/CEFACT Secretariat and to the ISO Secretariat (TDED) for publication.

Communication & Capacity Building

• Communication team responsible for implementing annual plans, according to new Comm. Strategy

• Capacity building team responsible for implementing programmes, according to new CB strategy (see plan proposal from slide 32)

The COMMUNICATION TEAM

• Possible Structure of COMMUNICATION TEAM:

1.Coordination Team for strategic communication & marketing

2.Project Team  for operational communication & marketing

Communication:Next steps

• Communication: 3 steps plan:

1. Strategic phase (Plan)

2. Operational phase (Do)

3. Control phase (Check-Act)

Comunication 1.Strategic Phase: Goals

• finetune UN/CEFACT’s relationship and increase interaction with its traditional stakeholders

• spread knowledge about UN/CEFACT activity and deliverables among decision makers of all UN Member Countries, pointing out its increased demand driven approach thanks to its new project oriented structure

• attract more stakeholders and experts from all UN Member Countries to be involved in UN/CEFACT work

• improve communication inside UN/CEFACT

Capacity building: a possible “roadmap” to achieve this goal

• Creation of a “Capacity Building Network on Trade Facilitation”, including the UN Organizations besides UNECE/UN/CEFACT and several other Institutions,both with global and regional remits, dealing with capacity building:

1. Global level:World Bank, WTO,WCO,UNCTAD, OECD,ISO, etc.

2. Regional level: UN Regional Commissions, AFACT, EU, etc

• Capacity Building team in the new “Operations” PDA

• Design and implementation of a 3 years program

Capacity Building:Possible plan funding

1. Available budget of the Organizations and Institutions involved

1. Available budget of Beneficiary Countries

Next Steps

• Review/refine/agree upon future process

• Issues– Limited resources– Limited collaboration– Process steps not clearly defined

Communication 2.Operational Phase

• The operational phase must implement:

a.“Push” communication approach to integrate the current “pull” approach

b. the available and new possible tools to achieve the above mentioned goals

c. annual action plans to use these tools efficiently and effectively. Every year a communication is presented to the Bureau for approval

Available and new possible tools 1

• the envisaged tools take into consideration the different audiences of UN/CEFACT and their information requirements :

• Restyled website: all audiences

• creation of a web forum :experts, implementers

• new section in the Web site “Guide to UN/CEFACT” providing non technical information on its activity, new structure and procedures: Governments, public organisations, business communities

• UN/CEFACT’s Chair introductory video clip to be uploaded to the website and viewable also through UNCEFACTINFO; the first video would concern the new UN/CEFACT structure and its advantages in terms of work and deliverables.:Governments, public organisations, business communities

• Tutorial videoclips on specific and technical topics, to be updated every two month, to be uploaded to the website and viewable also through UNCEFACTINFO :experts, implementers

• UN/CEFACTINFO : a new bimestral “push” e info tool - to be used primarily as an external communication tool, but useful also for information inside UN/CEFACT: all audiences

Available and new possible tools 2

• Enhanced monthly communication to HOD’S by the Bureau Chair on the main topics of UN/CEFACT activity to increase interaction with HOD’s :Governments, public organisations, business communities

• Monthly communication to UN/CEFACT members by the Bureau Chair summarizing the ongoing work

• New (already planned) brochure on the new structure, processes and procedures: all audiences

• UN/CEFACT banner to be published on other relevant websites :all external audiences

• Promotional Action of Regional Rapporteurs :Governments, public organisations, business communities

• Increased involvement in UNECE events on Trade Facilitation : all external audiences

• Mobile apps and social networks

Mobile Apps and social networks

• The UN is already in the apps and social network market to provide news and information on its activities and documents

• Apps: two possible solutions:1. Develop a new UNECE/UN/CEFACT app

including information, news, link to social networks 2. Develop a new UNECE/UN/CEFACT

section of existing apps: ex : Un News- Un news reader, etc

• Social networks: Facebook- Linkedin

Interaction with the new structrure’s PDA’s

Under the new structure, PDA's and Project teams  should:

1. play a crucial role in communication inside UN/CEFACT

2. provide input for external communication and support for  the implementation of the communication tools:

3.Support input “processing “ and “translation” by participating in the COMMUNICATION TEAM with their representatives

Communication 3. Control Phase

• Evaluation of the outcome of the annual action plans

• Overall fine-tuning and evolution of the plans, according to the evaluation of their outcome.

Communication: Risk Management

• Annual action plans implemented through the full exploitation of the various suggested tools

• Main conditions : 1. resources within the structure

2. Establishment of the Communication Team;

3. Effective CA interaction with PDA’s, Project Teams, Regional Rapporteurs, HOD’s

4. Effective interaction with UNECE Secretariat

Communication/Risk Management: Plan A and Plan B

IF THESE CONDITIONS AREN’T MET :

Different versions of annual action plans, depending on actual situations, including for ex:

•simplified versions of UNCEFACTINFO,• fewer videos, •reduced website restyling, etc

3 level Capacity building plan

1. Training • Introduction to Trade Facilitation• Developing knowledge on Trade Facilitation2. Consulting• Support to local experts and relevant agencies to assess

Country’s TF stage and to prepare an action plan to introduce TF measures

• Final report to the Country including recommendations on the way forward

3. Involvement• Participation in capacity building programmes of other

Organizations of the network, included in the three years plan.

Capacity building:10 possible steps to implement the plan

1. Identify all UN, international and Regional Organizations dealing with CB

2. Contact these organizations to verify their interest in the network

3. Organize project meetings to assess financial and not financial contributions, priority Regions and Countries to be included in the final proposal of the 3 years programme, which should embody annual subprogrammes.

4. Contact the Countries involved to verify their interest and their availability to co-finance the plan.

5. Assess the final list of Countries and the overall financial resources

6. Set up the final versions of the three years programme and annual subprogrammes

7. Implement the annual subprogrammes

8. Assess the results of the annual subprogrammes at the end of each year to verify possible fine tuning needs

9. Make a final assessment of the programme at the end of the 3 years period

10. Decide whether or not to extend the programme for an additional 3 years period

Promotion of Capacity building plan

• 1)Through the UN/CEFACT/WTO/ WCO/UNCTAD/OECD/UNESCAP/AFACT/EU Web sites

• 2)Through National Agencies and Organizations

• 3)Through UNECE and UN/CEFACT events and meetings

An example of capacity building on TF: Italy in Morocco

• Technical mission of experts organized by the Italian Ministry of Economic Development in 2007

• Goals:

1. Analize documents and procedures required by local Authorities to traders

2. Formulate recommendations to simplify and digitalize documents and procedures and to establish a Single Window

3. Prepare a final report to help local authorities setting up a way forward

Capacity Building plan proposal:goals

• A global approach to capacity building on TF, including the largest number possible of Countries in order to support effectively the recovery of international trade, contributing to achieve not only the pre-crisis levels, but also an overall increase