[Index]
Geneva, 1 May 2002
UN provides Internet-based solution for electronic
documents to
world trade community
Today, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and SITPRO
Ltd., a non-profit making UK Government Agency signed an agreement which provides
traders world-wide with access to advanced electronic trade documentation
system. The software system that has been developed by SITPRO under the name
WebElecTra is an Internet-based software solution that enables traders to
create, print and email trade documents. The documents conform to international
trade standards and best business practice. Traders can generate the documents
in paper format or as electronic documents in UN/EDIFACT or XML syntax for
integration in advanced e-business systems. WebElecTra is currently implemented
in the United Kingdom and is specially used by small and medium-sized enterprises,
the transport sector and port communities.
"The transaction costs related to the classic paper-based trade documentation
are enormous. I estimate that paper documentation incurs costs of about 7%
of the value of the traded goods", says David Wakeford, SITPRO'S Chief
Executive Officer. "WebElecTra significantly reduces costs, risks and
transaction time for our traders. By offering this solution through the United
Nations Economic Commission for Europe to the world trade community we want
to make a contribution to the simplification and efficiency of world trade."
Under the agreement, SITPRO, an agency funded by the UK's Department of Trade
and Industry, contributes the WebElecTra software system to the United Nations
electronic Trade Documents (UNeDocs) project. In the framework of this project
the United Nations will develop and licence solutions for trade documentation
in both paper and electronic format. The UNeDocs trade documentation will
implement recognized international trade and electronic business standards
such as the United Nations Recommendations on the layout of international
trade documents or UN/EDIFACT, today's most widely used international standard
for electronic business. By combining these standards with widely accessible
Internet technologies such as the eXtensible Markup Language (XML), UNeDocs
helps traders in developing countries and transition economies to compete
in advanced markets.
"With UNeDocs we want to open a migration path for paper-based trade
into advanced electronic business environments. The idea is not to suppress
the paper documents but rather to align them to international trade standards
and to accompany them with an electronic equivalent", says Carol Cosgrove-Sacks,
director of the UNECE Trade Division. "Traders then choose the type of
documents that best suit their needs. This software will enable us to offer
an integrated solution to traders and Governments that implement this concept."
The UNECE will seek international cooperation in the integration of the WebElecTra
software into UNeDocs. The system will be made available to Governments and
trade associations in the framework of UNeDocs cooperation projects. Further
information on UNeDocs is available on the Internet at www.UNeDocs.org
About UNECE: The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
develops and implements global standards for trade facilitation and electronic
business in coordination with the other United Nations Regional Commissions
and a number of United Nations departments and organizations. The UNeDocs
project provides solutions that are based on these standards for the international
trade community.
About SITPRO: SITPRO Ltd. is the UK's Trade Facilitation Agency supported
by the UK Department of Trade & Industry. The organization is solely committed
to the removal of barriers to international trade and to making international
transactions more cost effective. A core part of this activity has been to
focus on the efficient use of documentation and the development of value for
money electronic commerce and associated solutions. It was a combination of
these two activities and close collaboration with the UNECE that led to the
development of WebElecTra and subsequently to the contribution in kind to
UNeDocs.
For further information, please contact:
Jean Kubler, Deputy Chief, or Markus Pikart
Global Trade Solutions Branch
Trade Division
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
Palais des Nations
CH - 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Tel: (+41 22) 917 27 74 / 20 16
Fax: (+41 22) 917 00 37
E-mail: [email protected]
[email protected]
Web site: http://www.UNeDocs.org
Ref: ECE/TRADE/02/01