The WCO Data Model Project Team (DMPT) Implementation Support Focus Group undertook a study of the requirements of Advance Electronic Information (AEI) in several countries in 2015. This work was done to help understand what were the commonalities and differences in the requirements, and how Members were making use of the SAFE Data elements and the WCO Data Model in specifying the requirements of AEI.
The results were shared during the 14th SAFE Working Group Meeting (SWG) in April 2015 and received much attention from the SWG. Concerns were raised about the fact that many countries seemed to request more data elements than the 57 data elements currently included in Annex II of the SAFE Framework of Standards, and the commercial impact of such divergent implementation
At the 15th Meeting of the SWG in February 2016, the Secretariat shared information about the release of version 3.5.0 of the WCO Data Model. DMPT published an AEI derived information package (DIP) that only included the 57 data elements, to avoid the perception that the SAFE data elements had increased, without a proper review by the SWG. DMPT noted, however, that the DIP did not seem to reflect the practical reality. Deeper questions remained unanswered and DMPT suggested that it might be opportune for the SWG to revisit the issue, to ensure that:
The implementation of AEI programs by countries are aligned to the SAFE FoS;
The maintenance of Annex II of the SAFE Data Elements, through the SAFE Data Element Maintenance Mechanism provides a workable approach to foster international standardization and harmonization; and
Future development and maintenance of technical standards relating to AEI is on a holistic and sustainable trajectory that allows for both policy and technical considerations to be covered.
In order to highlight the importance of the development of a DIP for the AEI technical specification on data semantics, structures and message syntax, the Secretariat presented several examples on how several international standards on regulatory data requirements are provided with technical detail on the specification, such as International Maritime Organization (IMO) Facilitation (FAL) FAL Compendium on electronic business, and Advance Passenger Information (API) / Passenger Name Record (PNR) that are published based on UN/EDIFACT message standards.
There were four options for the way forward for the maintenance approach of the SAFE Dataset contained in the Annex II of the SAFE FoS presented. The options included: Status Quo; Updating Annex II, based on its current form; Updating Annex II, and providing technical elaborations and Redeveloping Annex II into a full message standard.
The SWG decided to explore this topic further, together with the DMPT, by reaching out to all WCO Members to assess the data that were requested by Members to develop a deeper and wider understanding of the issue.
Following the SWG decision, the Secretariat planned to undertake a survey on the implementation of AEI for security risk management purposes by Members, aiming to collect necessary information to support the SWG to take an informed decision on the subject matter
In 2014, the WCO Data Model Project Team (DMPT) undertook a study on how the Advance Electronic Information (AEI) based on the SAFE Framework of Standards (FoS) is implemented by WCO Member Administration. The study aimed to look at the possibility to produce a WCO Data Model (WCO DM) Derived Information Package (DIP) for AEI, to enable harmonized implementation of the standards using WCO DM. Using the DIP which provide technical information on how the information is constructed in an electronic message, traders as the source of AEI information will be able to comply with Custom’s AEI requirement in such a cost effective way with higher level of compliance and data quality. The Study involved eleven implementation of AEI programme by WCO Members.
The study revealed that:
- no country uses all the data elements stipulated in the SAFE Dataset
- all of the 11 countries request data elements that are beyond the ones contained in Annex II of the SAFE FoS
The result of the study was presented to the SAFE Working Group at its 14th Meeting in 2015. The Working Group was invited to review the result of the study and advice on whether the DMPT could continue its work to produce information package based on the finding. Discussed over several meeting, the SAFE Working Group advised the WCO Secretariat, in coordination with the two Working Body, namely the DMPT as well as SAFE - WG, to undertake further study on the AEI implementation with wider coverage of Member participation in order to enable the Working Group to determine if revision to the current SAFE data requirements to reflect to the current practice as necessary.