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Advance traceability for more sustainable food, fisheries and garnment sectors

The UNECE region encompasses some of the largest trade flows in the world. UNECE supports improved traceability and transparency as a key basis for improving the sustainability of complex globalized value chains:


The UN/FLUX fisheries data management standard, developed by UN/CEFACT, is the first communication tool to automatically collect and disseminate fishery catch data through a harmonized message standard. Used by the EU and a growing number of leading fishing nations in other regions, UN/FLUX enables the monitoring of 85,000 fishing vessels worldwide, concerning 5 million tonnes of fish landed annually, and helps manage 470 fish stocks and quotas sustainably.

Traceability standards and implementation support for the garment and footwear sector are helping to advance transparency for more sustainable value chains, as part of a UN/CEFACT Framework Initiative with the European Commission and the International Trade Centre.

1.6 billion tonnes of food worth USD 1.2 trillion worldwide is lost every year, expected to reach 2.1 billion tonnes, worth USD 1.5 trillion by 2030. Together with policy guidance and strengthening capacities to tackle food loss, UNECE is developing a blockchain-enhanced management system to identify and repurpose or redistribute food that would be lost in conventional supply channels.