The 65th Meeting of the WCO Data Model Projects Team (DMPT) was held successfully, in a hybrid mode, on 2 and 3 February 2023. Some 155 registered participants made up of WCO Member delegates as well as representatives of international organizations and the private sector, participated online. In addition, 28 delegates attended the Meeting in person at WCO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.
Pranab Kumar Das, Director of the WCO Compliance and Facilitation Directorate, opened the Meeting, welcoming participants and introducing them to the activities and roles of the DMPT. He underlined the valuable participation by DMPT members, particularly those having contributed to the work in the WCO Version 4 Mini Group in the days prior to the Meeting, and highlighted the efforts made to complete the Data Model (DM) Version 4 package work items.
The DMPT received and processed three Data Maintenance Requests (DMR) via the WCO DM App, namely two DMRs submitted by Canada and one by the WCO DM Version 4 Mini Group. The DMPT accepted one DMR, another DMR was withdrawn upon the DMPT’s recommendation, and it was agreed that a further DMR would be updated and reviewed again after further consideration by the submitter.
The DMPT discussed and partially approved the deliverables of the WCO DM Version 4 package. The DMPT agreed to receive additional input for several Version 4 deliverables, e.g. WCO DM Technical and Non-Technical Guidance Material, Open API Guidelines and JSON Guidelines, by 28 February 2023, with a view to submitting the final version of the deliverables for endorsement by the Permanent Technical Committee (PTC) at its April 2023 sessions.
In the context of Coordinated Border Management and Single Window digital collaboration, the DMPT discussed the alignment of the current WCO DM CODEX Derived Information Package (DIP) with the CODEX Guidelines to support CODEX’s initiative in the area of generic digital certificates. The Representative of the Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems gave a presentation stressing the importance of this work. Additionally, the Delegate of Nigeria shared that country’s practice regarding cooperation between Customs and the competent food safety authorities.
Regarding the ongoing work to establish a global data standard for maritime travellers, the DMPT reviewed and discussed the draft maritime Advance Passenger Information and Passenger Name Record (API/PNR) model.
The DMPT was updated by the Secretariat on the progress with the Work Programme 2022-2023 and discussed the new Work Programme 2023-2025. In addition to several new activities, the DMPT agreed to carry over some of the ongoing 2022-2023 activities to the new Work Programme.
To promote national implementation of the WCO DM, the DMPT received an update on the latest developments of the My Information Package (MyIP) Repository and Mapping tool modules of the WCO DM App. In addition, the Delegate of Zambia shared that county’s national approach to developing the MyIP as part of its overall implementation of the WCO DM. The delegate then gave details of the MyIP that had been developed in the DM App MyIP Repository.
The Meeting was closed by Brendan O’Hearn, Deputy Director, Compliance and Facilitation Directorate, who congratulated the participants on all of the outcomes achieved.