SITPRO was recently invited to the European Commission's DG SANCO (Directorate-General "Health and Consumer Protection") to discuss the use of UN Aligned Documentation.
The European Commission may introduce aligned documentation for the transportation of live animals
SITPRO's expertise in international trade documentation was brought to the attention of the Commission following its work in drafting the UN Aligned Certificate of Veterinary Entry Document (CVED) for products of animal origin, which was presented to the Commission by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. This document should be legally enforced by Spring 2004.
Building on this precedent, the Commission were keen to discuss how the CVED for live animals and the Inter-Trade Health Certificate could be modified to accommodate the UN standard. It was agreed that the Commission would liaise directly with EUROPRO, in order to engage the support and expertise of all the European 'PRO' organisations, including SITPRO.
Adherence to the UN aligned document standard is important. It ensures that paper documents are easily understood by traders. Equally important, UN aligned trade documents are easily translated into internationally agreed standards-based electronic messages that provide the backbone for efficient information systems. Deviation from standards increases costs for both business and government.
Return to SITPRO News: Issue 49, February/March 2004
