date_of_issue: 26 January 2001

last updated: 07/03/01 10:38

Reference to be quoted : EEG6 ToR 2001.doc

Expert Group 6 (Statistical Sector) of the European Board for EDI Standardization (EBES) Terms of Reference

Background and Objectives

The EBES EDI Expert Group 6 (EEG6) was created on November 10th 1989.

EEG6 has the support of a number of organisations with statistical activities:

· The European Commission (EC) and in particular Eurostat

· The UN Economic Committee for Europe (UN/ECE)

· The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

· The European Central Bank (ECB)

The role of EEG6 is to act within the European Board for EDI Standardization as the forum for the harmonisation of the exchange of Electronic business data using the latest technologies in the statistical sector, and to promote the use of standardised electronic solutions for the exchange of statistical information.

Mandate

This Group works on behalf of the European Board for EDI Standardization (EBES).

EEG6 is responsible for the development and maintenance of standardised messages used between statistical data providers and statistical data collectors (collection) and between statistical data producers and statistical data consumers (dissemination).

The responsibility shall include, but not be restricted to: the development, maintenance, promotion and drafting of related documentation for standardised electronic statistical messages.

The Group will:

1. Ascertain the administrative and trade requirements for the transfer by electronic means of data related to statistics.

2. Represent the statistical domain in European and international bodies dealing with the standardisation and promotion of the use of e-technologies (UN/CEFACT, EWG, ebXML).

3. Promote the interest of the statistical domain in other European and international bodies dealing with the standardisation and promotion of the use of e-technologies, such as: W3C, OMG, R&D projects...

4. Provide information about new technologies, foster their use and participate in the development of specific standardised solutions for the interchange of statistical data.

5. Develop solutions in the various standardised technologies, such as EDIFACT, XML, Object-oriented technologies..., using modelling techniques and ensure the maintenance of the existing solutions in the various syntaxes.

6. Establish and maintain a workplan agreed with EBES.

7. Encourage and support pilot projects to test proposed technical solutions.

8. Approve and submit developed solutions (UNSMs, DTD’s, data models...) through the relevant procedures as approved by the relevant standardisation bodies (UN/CEFACT, ISO, ebXML, etc).

Deliverables

The key deliverables of EEG6 will be:

1. Models covering the domain of statistical data collection and dissemination

2. Syntactic specifications of the models developed

3. Implementation Guides and User Guides

4. Promotional activities and awareness documentation

Work Programme

EEG6 will maintain an ongoing workplan, based on the individual workplans of its Working Groups. This workplan shall determine the time scales for all EEG6 activities and tasks.

Membership

Official Membership of the group is open to anybody ready to contribute to the work of EEG6 or its Working Groups. Membership has to be applied for and approved as described in the procedures document.

Observers are welcome.

Administrative Structure

One chair

Two vice-chairs

Secretariat

Members

Chair and vice-chairs are elected for a period of two years at a plenary meeting by the official members present.

Candidates are proposed by one member and supported by a second member.

If only one nomination is submitted, he will be deemed to be elected.

If several nominations are submitted, the election will be effective by simple majority.

Chair and vice-chairs are expected to attend all meetings of the group.

The elected chair shall provide a secretariat for the group.

Working Groups

The EEG6 may create Working Groups, each group concentrating on a particular aspect of its tasks.

There are currently 6 Working Groups:

· WG1 - Exchange of aggregated statistical data

· WG3 - Exchange of classifications

· WG4 - Raw data reporting

· WG5 - Foreign trade statistical data

· WG6 - Exchange of balance of payments and monetary statistics

· WG7 - Exchange of transport statistics

Each Working Group is chaired by a Convener who will also act as spokesman.

Conveners are elected for a period of two years by the members of their group.

The election procedures shall be the same as for the chair.

The group may additionally elect a co-convener.

Conveners are expected to attend all meetings of the group.

Working procedures are defined in the working procedures document.

Decisions

Decisions of EEG6 can be made in the Plenary Meeting only.

If a consensus cannot be achieved, the Chair may call for a vote. In that case, decisions on strategy and affecting the terms of reference need a majority of two thirds of the members present. Other decisions require a simple majority of the members voting.

Only official EEG6 members may vote.