The main goal of EEG6/Working Group 7 (EEG6/WG7) is to find ways for the collection and dissemination of transport statistics by means of EDI. The group works in close co-operation with EBES/EEG2, the Message Development Group responsible for transport messages.
Maritime transport has been set as its first priority, considering the needs stemming from the proposed maritime transport statistics directive (adopted on December 8, 1995).
EEG6/WG7 has identified the minimum statistical requirements in the field of maritime transport and studied the messages already existing – in particular those of EEG2, EEG3 and EEG6 –, selected those of interest for WG7 (i.e. BAPLIE, IFCSUM, CUSCAR and GESMES). It undertook their thorough analysis concerning the coverage of the necessary statistical information.
In this context, a DSIS (Disseminated Statistical Information Services) pilot project on the use of IFCSUM and GESMES, covering a few ports and economic operators in three Member States (France, Netherlands & Spain) was carried out during 1995.
A new pilot project on the use of CUSCAR and GESMES was launched in 1996, focusing on a greater involvement of maritime transport operators and on the extension to other Member States (Germany, Ireland and UK). The use of BAPLIE seems to be of less interest.
For these pilot projects, Guidelines for the extraction of maritime statistical data were drawn up for IFCSUM, CUSCAR, GESMES and BAPLIE.
In addition to this work, EEG6/WG7 took an active participation in an ad-hoc international group concerned with the harmonisation of Message Implementation Guides in the transport sector. The consultant of WG7 is now co-chairing the IHG (International harmonisation Group) at the Joint Rapporteurs' Team meetings which is in charge of harmonising the use of the segments throughout all EDIFACT messages
First fact-finding studies in the field of air and road transport are underway.