Confirmed by the Council - July 2022
Established: 2001
1. Mandate
i. The Data Model Projects Team is established in order to provide the maintenance mechanisms for work relating to the WCO Data Model.
ii. The DMPT reports to the Permanent Technical Committee (PTC) and supports the PTC in its efforts to assist Members in implementing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) or other Digital Customs agenda, particularly in the area of data harmonization and standardization by co-operating with other WCO Working Bodies, other governmental and non-governmental international organizations, and promoting close co-operation with other international organizations, and international standards setting agencies for the interchange of Customs information among Customs administrations and between Customs administrations and trade participants.
iii. The DMPT promotes the implementation of the WCO Date Model, working for this purpose in conjunction with the WCO Capacity Building Directorate.
iv. Unless so directed by the PTC matters of customs digitalization remain under the purview of the PTC, Council, and Policy Commission.
2. Membership
The DMPT is an open forum. All WCO Members may participate in the meeting. Delegates from international organizations, non-governmental organizations, and private sector may register to attend as observer.
3. Purpose & Scope
To achieve the mandate, the DMPT should:
i. Establish and implement a Data Maintenance Request (DMR) process for the submission, review and approval of DMRs submitted for the WCO Data Model;
ii. Establish ad-hoc focus groups, as necessary, consisting of experts in the field of ICT to discuss and develop new uses for the WCO Data Model, in line with its positioning as a cross-border regulatory data model;
iii. Continually seek to enhance the relevance and usefulness of the WCO Data Model through regular releases;
iv. Work closely with other WCO Working Bodies to develop and maintain technical specification of electronic business on specific Customs business requirements;
v. Continue to promote, in close co-operation with other international organizations, the implementation of the WCO Data Model by Cross Border Regulatory Agencies;
vi. Identify Members’ data requirements, so that increased semantic interoperability can be achieved through the WCO Data Model;
vii. examine means for supporting the implementation of the WCO DM by maintaining or developing new technical and non-technical guidance relating to the WCO DM;
4. Key Deliverables
i. The key decisions made by the DMPT shall be reported to the PTC. Policy issues that arise from technical discussions will also be reported to the PTC for guidance, so that the PTC may direct the DMPT through its decisions.
ii. The DMPT shall also provide the necessary support to undertake the necessary work arising from the PTC work program, relating to any directions that the PTC may have on the WCO Data Model.
5. Means of Operation
i. Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson
a. The DMPT shall annually elect its own Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson from among the representatives of its members. The retiring Chairperson is eligible for re-election.
b. The Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson shall participate in the proceedings as such and not as a representative of a member of the DMPT. The DMPT shall seek to reach agreed views on any matter examined and shall report them to the relevant Committee. If agreement cannot be reached on a question, the differing views together with their supporting rationales shall be reported.
ii. Focus Group Conveners
a. The DMPT shall nominate a Convener to facilitate and report on the discussions of the various Focus Groups established to discuss and develop new uses for the WCO Data Model, in line with its positioning as a cross-border regulatory data model, from among the representatives of its members. The retiring Convener is eligible for re-nomination.
b. The nomination process shall be done in manner reflecting the consensus of the various Focus Group Participants.
iii. Focus Group Volunteer Resources
The DMPT shall nominate volunteer resources to act in a variety of product focused roles that will expand the DMPT’s capacity by distributing and concentrating the workload as well as facilitate growth of WCO DM implementations by WCO Members. These roles may include:
a. Data Model Architect (One resource)
b. Senior Data Modeler (One resource)
c. Data Modeler (Two resources)
d. Product Manager (Number of resources based on product and focus group needs.)
e. Senior Quality Assurance Tester (One resource)
f. Quality Assurance Tester (One to three resources)
iv. Project Management
Focus Groups are required to table a Focus Group Project Charter indicating the:
a. Project Description & Scope
b. Group Members & Responsibilities
c. Project Feasibility & Approach
d. Project Schedule
e. Project Deliverables
6. Agenda
i. The Agenda for each session shall be drawn up by the Secretariat, based on the relevant work items of the PTC Work Program delegated for the DMPT’s action, and in consultation with delegates of the DMPT, who may propose technical questions for discussions and Data Maintenance Requests for deliberations.
ii. The DMPT shall hold its sessions no more than three sessions a year except for an extra ordinary circumstances.
7. Intermediate Arrangements
The ToR will take effect after it is endorsed by the Council. Until such endorsement, interim measures, such as the new reporting line to the PTC, will take effect immediately.