The%20United%20Nations%20Layout%20Key%20for%20Trade%20Documents

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• The United Nations Layout Key for Trade Documents
• Tom Butterly
• UNECE

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The UN Layout Key (UNLK)

• This Session will cover
• Overview of the UNLK
• Design principles and applications
• Standards, codes and Recommendations behind the
  UNLK
• Implementation tools

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Information - controls the entire trade
transaction process

• Exchange of information - covers the entire trade
  transaction process
• Sales contract
• Movement of goods
• Official controls
• Payment
• Trade Documents are the core means of exchanging
  this information
• The goods cannot move faster than the
  information that controls them
• Increasing requirements for faster delivery for
  supply chains etc
• Impact of Security on Information requirements
  (24 hour rule, ACI, etc)

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Many Parties Involved
Source Complex Networked Supply Chain Harwick,
1999
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And many Trade Documents

• Enquiry Order
• Despatch advice Collection order
• Payment order Documentary credit
• Forwarding instructions Forwarder's invoice
• Goods receipt Sea waybill
• Rail consignment note Bill of lading
• Freight invoice Cargo manifest
• Export licence Exchange control doc.
• Phytosanitary certificate Veterinary certificate
• Certificate of origin Consular invoice
• Dangerous goods declaration
• Import licence Customs delivery note
• TIR carnet ATA carnet

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If this process is not simplified and coordinated
- Frustration!


Company B
Company A
Product
Retailers
Manufacturer
Supplier
Wholesalers
Customer
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And Cost

• 40 documents to manage the export process
• Costs - up to 10 per cent of the value of the
  goods (annual global costs related to trade
  documents 550 Billion USD

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United Nations Layout KeyHistorical background

• Up until the 1960s, no standardisation in terms
  of design, content or layout to trade documents
• There was a clear need for a global solution
• 1950s Trade Facilitation in Sweden and other
  Nordic countries
• 1960s UNECE set up a Working party to simplify
  and standardise international trade
• 1963 International model form adopted as a
  Layout Key

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United Nations Layout KeyHistorical background

• 1960s and 70s UNECE Layout Key introduced by
  many international organisations and countries
  worldwide through the work of UNECE, UNCTAD and
  other organisations
• 1978 UNLK Recommendation had gained worldwide
  acceptance and was called the United Nations
  Layout Key for Trade Documents

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UNLK Set of standards
Borders
Boxes
Data Elements and Boxes
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Mode of transport
Destination
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UNLK INTEGRATED SET OF STDS

• Rec 3 County of Origin UN Rec 3 use ISO 3166 2
  digit country codes
• Rec 5 Terms of delivery Rec 5 Aberration of ICC
  Incoterms
• Rec 7 Numerical representation of date and time
• Rec 8 Unique Identification Code
• Rec 9 Alphabetic Code of the Representation of
  Currencies
• Rec 16 Codes for ports and other locations Port
  of Loading Rec 16 LOCODE Codes for ports and
  other locations 55 entries Show Switzerland
• Rec 19 Codes for Mode of transport
• Rec 20 Codes for Units of Measurement
• Rec 22 Packaging codes
•  CODES SIMPLIFY AND STANDARDISE THE INFORMATION
  A CRITICAL FEATURE FOR eDOCUMENTS

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6. System of aligned Trade DocumentsShared
Information

• The common information definition allows the
  exchange of data between documents
• (70 of all information in trade documents is
  shared)

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Master Document and Series of Aligned Documents
See UNLK Guidelines for details
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• Many national and international sectoral
  documents developed through the UNLK Hierarchical
  System of Design

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Hierarchical System of Design
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Examples of Sectoral Layout Keys

• Standard Bill of Lading (Int. Chamber of
  Shipping)
• Photo Sanitary Certificate (Plant Protection
  Convention)
• Certificate of Origin (Kyoto Convention)
• Dangerous Goods Declaration (UNECE)
• LK for Commercial Invoices (UNECE Recommendation
  6)
• LK for Standard Consignment Instructions (UNECE
  Rec. 22)

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Examples of International Standard Forms

• Freight Forwarding Instruction (FFI) FIATA
• International Road Consignment Note (CMR)
• International Rail Consignment Note (CIM
  Convention)
• Universal Air Waybill (IATA)
• Cargo Declaration (IMO FAL)
• Dispatch Note for Post Parcels (World Post
  Convention)
• GSP Certificate (UNCTAD)
• SAD (European Union)

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United Nations Layout KeyAligned Trade Documents

• Today, nearly all international trade documents
  are aligned to the UNLK
• Examples
• Standard Bill of Lading (International Chamber of
  Shipping)
• Universal Air Waybill (IATA)
• International Rail Consignment Note (CIM
  Convention)
• International Road Consignment Note (CMR
  Convention)
• Single Administrative Document (SAD)
• GSP Certificate
• Cargo Declaration (IMO FAL)
• etc

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United Nations Layout Key SAD
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Box Principle

• Box consists of box heading and data fields
• Related data is placed in a single box
• e.g Buyer Name and address of the party to
  which merchandise is sold
• Envelope box for consignee

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Designing Documents based on the UN Layout Key

• When designing documents bases on the UN Layout
  Key certain principles are specified. For
  example
• Data elements specified in the LK should be
  placed in the corresponding place
• Data elements not specified in the LK are placed
  in the free disposal area
• Data elements not required can be omitted. The
  gained space is for free disposal.
• Boxes can be further sub-divided to further
  specify information

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Physical document layout

• Needed for compatibility with standard printing
  equipment and US legal size paper format
• Paper Size A4, A5L
• Margins 20 mm top (gripper) and 10 mm left
  (filing) margin
• Character spacing in documents 1/6 1/10 inch
  (4.24 2.54 mm), fixed font

FFI Grid
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Tools Available
UNLK Guidelines UNLK Recommendation Internation
al Document Set UNeDocs
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• Built on a series of standards
• Box design principle - related information always
  appears in the same place
• Common definition of data elements
• One run system of aligned documents
• Series of Recommendations and standards developed
  around the data elements
• System of Sectoral, and National Layout Keys and
  standard forms

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Key Message

• UN Layout Key is an intelligent integrated set of
  UNECE, ISO and other international standards that
  are the foundation for the flow of information in
  trade transactions
• Implemented in many developed economies but still
  much room for use in developing economies
• Selection of tools are available from UNECE
• Huge potential savings for both business and
  government

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Key Message

• Can be used directly irrespective of level of
  technological development
• Aligned trade documents are a prerequisite for
  development of electronic documents
• Aligned Trade Documents are a Key element in
  achieving trade efficiency ......

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International Competitiveness and Trade
Facilitation
World Economic Forum Country competitiveness
rankings 2004 1. Finland 2. United States
3. Sweden 4. Taiwan 5. Denmark 6.
Norway 7. Singapore 8. Switzerland 9.
Japan 10. Iceland 11. United Kingdom 12.
Netherlands
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Thank you!