International seminar

UNECE
Trade and Transport Facilitation
________________________________________

26-28 May 2021
Online

On 26-28 May 2021 the 11th International Seminar on Trade and Transport Facilitation «Digital transformation of multimodal transport using the UN/CEFACT reference data model» will be held in Odesa, Ukraine in online format within the framework of the International Trade and Transport Week. The seminar will build on the ten years of work, notably, the results of the two previous seminars on trade facilitation and multimodal data exchange, covering trade, transport and logistics in the region: the Black Sea - Baltic Sea digital transport corridor with possible extension in the direction of the Republic of Moldova and the countries of the South Caucasus and the Black Sea.
The seminar will focus on the development and practical application of a set of standards aligned to the reference data models of the UN Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT), which aim at the digital transformation of data and document exchanges in multimodal transport. Experts develop this set of standards with support from a United Nations Development Account project in response to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic on connectivity, transport and trade. The project also encourages implementation tests in the region.

At this stage, standards for the key documents accompanying goods transported by road, rail, inland water, sea and air are being finalized.
The representatives of relevant international organizations and other speakers will involve
  • Decision-makers from ministries and departments of the countries along the main corridors, responsible for the digital transformation of multimodal transport and international trade, notably from the countries participating in:
    - the transport corridors Black Sea - Baltic Sea, Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia and Azerbaijan, and the Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia (TRACECA);
    - the European Union's Eastern Partnership countries, as well as Lithuania and Poland;
    - the Organization of Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC); and other countries.
  • Representatives of the European Commission Directorates-General for: Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR); Taxation and Customs Union (DG TAXUD) and Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE).
  • Representatives of secretariats of regional organizations such as the UNECE, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the Organization for Cooperation of Railways (OSJD), the International Rail Transport Committee (CIT), the International Road Transport Union (IRU), the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA), the European Association for Forwarding, Transport, Logistics and Customs Services (CLECAT); the Organization for Democracy and Economic Development (GUAM) and other organizations to foster innovative developments for interoperability and digital transformation of multimodal transport.
  • Representatives of the information and communication technology departments of these organizations, countries and agencies will discuss data sets and standards, and how they are applied This approach is in line with the recommendations of previous seminars, the UN Development Account project, cooperation with the European Commission and other partners. Relevant documents will be distributed.
This approach is in line with the recommendations of previous seminars, the UN Development account project, cooperation with the European Commission and other partners.
Relevant documents will be distributed.
The program of the seminar 26 to 28 May 2021 will cover the discussion of the following issues:
Data sharing for documents of different modes of transport:
  • Concept of the multimodal data exchange initiative (UNECE representative)
  • High-level segments (with statements from the European Commission, the UNECE Transport Division, IMO, ICAO, OSJD, CIT, FIATA and others)

Progress in the development of a set of standards in compliance with the UN/CEFACT data reference models for the digital transformation of data and document exchange in multimodal transport (UNECE consultants and UN/CEFACT experts)
Progress in the implementation of the concept and pilot projects:
  • Advancing the digitization of electronic documents and their compliance with the UN/CEFACT Multimodal Transport Reference Data Model (representatives of FIATA and UN/CEFACT)
  • Progress in the implementation of the set of standards in pilot projects for multimodal transport along the under the UN Development Account project
  • Potential synergies with the pilot implementation projects (presentations from the European Commission)
  • Discussion on electronic data sharing based on the principles of interoperability and integration of data exchange in different modes of transport
  • Statements by representatives of the countries regarding their objectives and demands for the digitalization and standardization of multimodal transport corridors
  • Possible further projects and extension to new countries
Using the digitalization and interoperability standards for:
  • Operation of port community systems and Single Window facilities
  • Submission of information to regulatory agencies, as per UNECE and UN/CEFACT Recommendations 33-37, the European Union's electronic Freight Transport Information Regulation (eFTI), European Maritime Single Window environment (EMSWe) and European Union Customs Single Window (EU CSW) concept

    Invited panellists include representatives of the European Commission, the International Association of Port Community Systems (IPCSA), and others.
Concluding session and recommendations on the participation of regulatory agencies, international organizations, development partners and the business community in this initiative.
Agenda
We provide simultaneous translation services into the UN official languages: English and Russian.
Participation is free, video record of seminar won't be available for participants.

26 May 2021
10:00 – 10:30 GMT+3
09:00–09:30 CET
Opening of the XI International Seminar on Trade and Transport Facilitation
Mr. Taras Kachka, Deputy Minister of Economy, Trade Representative of Ukraine

Ms. Elisabeth Tuerk, Director, Economic Cooperation and Trade Division, UNECE

Mr. Oleg Platonov, Head of the Delegation of Ukraine to UN/CEFACT, First Vice-President of the Ukrainian National Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), President of the "UKRVNESHTRANS" Association

Mr. Ivan Petrov, Senior Vice President, International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA)

Mr. Asset Assavbayev, Secretary General, Permanent Secretariat, Intergovernmental Committee of the Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia (TRACECA)

10:30 – 12:00 GMT+3
09:30– 11:00 CET
Session I: Progress in implementing the recommendations of the Tenth UNECE Odessa Seminar (27-29 April 2020) and the UN Development Account project on the harmonization of data and document exchange in multimodal transport
Moderator: Mr. Oleg Platonov, Head of the Ukrainian Delegation to UN/CEFACT, First Vice-President of the Ukrainian National Committee of ICC, President of the "UKRVNESHTRANS" Association

Progress in developing standards for digitalization of multimodal data and document exchange

Mr. Mario Apostolov, Regional Adviser, Economic Cooperation and Trade Division, UNECE

Pilot implementation of UN/CEFACT multimodal transport standards, exports from Belarus to Serbia

Mr. Dmytro Iakymenkov, UNECE Consultant
Session II: Digital transformation of multimodal transport using international conventions and standards
Mr. Igbal Babayev, Deputy Chairman of the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan

Objectives and plans of Belarus for the digitalization of main transport corridors
Mr. Pavel Tkach, First Deputy Minister of Communications, and Informatization of Belarus
12:00 – 12:15 GMT+3
11:00 – 11:15 CET
Coffee break
12:15 – 15:00 GMT+3
11:15 – 14:00 CET
Session IІ: Practical implementation of standardized data and documents in multimodal transport
Moderator: Mr. Mario Apostolov, Regional Advisor, Economic Cooperation and Trade Division, UNECE

New UN/CEFACT standards, recommendations and tools
Mr. Lance Thompson, Economic Affairs Officer, Economic Cooperation and Trade Division, UNECE

The European Union's electronic Freight Transport Information (eFTI) Regulation
Ms. Lia Potec, Policy Officer, European Commission, Directorate General for Transport (DG MOVE)

The concept of eTIR and eCMR systems
Mr. Konstantinos Alexopoulos, Section Chief, UNECE Sustainable Transport Division

Electronic data exchange in rail transport
Mr. Erik Evtimov, Deputy Secretary-General of the International Rail Transport Committee (CIT)Representative of OSJD

Multimodal aspect of the digitization of data exchange in air cargo transportation
Mr. Elkhan Nahmadov, Deputy Regional Director, ICAO European and North Atlantic (EUR/NAT) Regional Office

Road transport and multimodal digitalization of transport information exchange
Mr. Vadim Zakharenko, General Delegate of the International Road Transport Union (IRU) to Eurasia

Discussion


Conclusions of the first day

27 May 2021
10:00 – 12:00 GMT+3
09:00 – 11:00 CET
Session III: Practical application of the package of standards for multimodal transport data exchange. Digitalization in selected modes of transport and sectors (panels)
Moderator: Mr. Oleksandr Fedorov, CEO, PPL 33-35, Chair of UNECE Working Party 30

Multimodal data exchange standards, aligned with the UN/CEFACT data reference models
Ms. Sue Probert, Chair, UN Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT)

Digitalization of railway documents and international standards; the uniform railway law
Mr. Francesco Dionori, Head of Section, UNECE Sustainable Transport Division
OSJD expert (Mr. Darius Pranka, Lithuanian Railways) t.b.c.
Mr. Kagisho Ramatsa, UNECE consultant
Mr. Vladimir Padalitsa, UNECE consultant
Mr. Lothar Schneemann, RailData

Discussion

Digitalization of data and document exchange for cargo transported by road, eCMR, and digital multimodal corridors
Mr. Konstantinos Alexopoulos, Section Chief, UNECE Sustainable Transport Division
Mr. Olexander Fedorov, CEO, PPL 33-35 LLC, Chair of UNECE Working Party 30
Mr. Sergey Tumel, Member of the Committee on e-Commerce and Logistics of the Confederation of Digital Business of Belarus; Partner of the European network of EDI operators EEDIN
Mr. Valery Virkovski, Chair of eLogistics and Digital Transport Corridors Working Group in the Easter Partnership

Moderator: Mr. Hans Rook, Chairman, International Association of Port Community Systems (IPCSA)

Digitalization of information sharing in inland water transport
Mr. David Roff, UN/CEFACT expert
Mr. Mario Sattler, Seconded national expert, European Commission, DG MOVE
Ms. Victoria Ivanova, Economic Affairs Officer, UNECE Sustainable Transport Division

Discussion
12:00 – 12:15 GMT+3
11:00 – 11:15 CET
Coffee break
12:15 – 14:30 GMT+3
11:15 – 13:30 CET
Standardizing the digitization of information sharing and shipping in the maritime industry
Mr. David Roff, UN/CEFACT expert
Mr. Nico de Cauwer, Chairman of the committee on standardization and harmonization of the International Association of Port Community Systems (IPCSA)
Mr. Mikael Renz, Chair, data modelling group, Expert Group on Data Harmonization (EGDH), International Maritime Organization (IMO)

Moderator: Sue Probert, Chair, UN/CEFACT

Possible use of standardization for air cargo transportation
Mr. Cortney Robinson, Air Transportation Officer, ICAO
Mr. Steve Hill, UN/CEFACT expert
Mr. Henk Mulder, Head Digital Cargo APCS-CARGO, International Air Transport Association (IATA)
Mr. Rudy Hemeleers, 51Biz Luxembourg, partner in the FEDERATED consortium and the Digital Transport and Logistics Forum of the European Union

Discussion

Conclusions of the second day

28 May 2021
10:00 – 12:00 GMT+3
09:00 – 11:00 CET
Session IV: The next steps in the harmonization and standardization of multimodal transportation
Moderator: Ms. Sue Probert, Chair, UN/CEFACT

Linking modes of transport; specific projects based on UN/CEFACT standards
Mr. Dmytro Iakymenkov and Ms. Galyna Roizina, expert at PPL 33-35 LLC and UNECE consultants

Possibilities to use the standardization and digitalization of multimodal transport data exchange in the collection of information for regulatory controls

Mr. Zahouani Saadaoui, Head, Electronic Customs Sector, European Commission, Directorate General for Customs Union and Taxation (DG TAXUD)

An example of implementation of the standards: the case of the electronic multimodal FIATA Bill of Lading
Ms. Lucelia Tinembart, Digital Projects Officer, International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA)

Focus on digital transformation in the Black Sea – Baltic Sea and Eastern Partnership multimodal corridor
Mr. Arturas Piliponis, Lithuania, EU4DIGITAL project

A perspective from the Eastern Partnership countries
Mr. Azer Aliyev, Deputy Head, Transport Policy Department, Ministry of Transport, Communications, and High Technologies, Republic of Azerbaijan
Mr. Igor Michailovski, Belarus



Discussion

12:00 – 12:15 GMT+3 11:00 – 11:15 CET
Coffee break
12:15 – 13:30 GMT+3
11:15 – 12:30 CET
Moderator: Mr. Mario Apostolov, Regional Advisor, Economic Cooperation and Trade Division, UNECE

Other organizations dealing with the issue (panel discussion):
Mr. Asset Assavbayev, Secretary General, Permanent Secretariat, Intergovernmental Committee of the Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia (TRACECA)
Amb. Traian Chebeleu, Deputy Secretary General, Permanent International Secretariat (PERMIS), Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC)
Mr. Sabuhi Temirov, Organization for Democracy and Economic Development GUAM
Mr. William Petty, World Economic Forum (WEF) (t.b.c.)

LOGINK and UN/CEFACT on Supply Chain information harmonization
Ms. Xiaoyun Gao, Senior Researcher, National Public Information Platform for Transportation and Logistics (LOGINK), China

Discussion

13:30 – 14:30 GMT+3
12:30 – 13:30 CET
Concluding session / recommendations
Summary of the discussion and recommendations: further support to the initiative to harmonize and standardize data in a multimodal setting


The Seminar is conducted under the aegis of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.
Registration
For more information, please contact:
Agenda issues
Mr. Mario Apostolov,
Regional Adviser, UNECE Economic Cooperation and Trade Division

+41 22 917 11 34
mario.apostolov@un.org
Organizational issues
Mr. Oleksandr Fedorov
Head of Customs and Trade Facilitation Commission, ICC Ukraine

+380 (67) 466 77 20
oleksandr_fedorov@ukr.net
Participation issues
Mrs. Anna Glovatskaya
Head of support team


+38 050 333 69 63
info@ittw.in.ua