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2026-03-20 1055 AEDT

Mar 20, 2026

UN CEFACT GTR - AEST / PST​

Attendees​

  • Ann Dao (a few minute in)

  • Bree-Ana Blazicevic

  • Jo Spencer

  • John Phillips

  • Sankarshan

Summary​

UN/CEFACT Global Trust Registry Project meeting focused on core document deadlines, Digital Identity Anchor simplification, and considered the applicability of two ISO standards for the Global Register Information Directory.

Core Document Submission Deadline
Work is focused on 3 primary deliverables: pilot documentation, the Grid Business Requirement Specification, and the Digital Identity Anchor specification. The proposed deadline for submitting this work is April 10, allowing 60 days for public review, with final publication targeted for July 29.

Digital Identity Anchor Simplification
The consensus reached for the DIA specification was that DIAs should be as simple as possible, with separate DIAs issued for different identifiers to provide greater flexibility. The team concluded that ISO 27560 concerning consent records is largely irrelevant to trade documentation and should not be mandated for inclusion.

GRID Standard and Definitions
The project decided to utilize ISO 80016 for organizational identifier structure, recognizing the dependency this introduces on ECCMA for managing the registrar string element of the standard. Definitions for terms like "register" and "registrar" will be simplified, separating them from the specific eligibility requirements for the GRID.

Details​

  • External Consultation on Mind in Canada Credential: Bree-Ana Blazicevic introduced an opportunity to provide feedback to Natural Resources Canada (NRCAN) regarding a request for information (RFI) soliciting input on a "Mined in Canada Credential". John Phillips offered to share the link to this RFI in the meeting chat and minutes to ensure the group has access to provide feedback to the federal authorities on the potential use and importance of such a credential [00:00:00].

  • Meeting Welcome and Project Context: John Phillips welcomed participants to the UN/CEFACT Global Trust Registry Project meeting, confirming the project operates under the UN/CEFACT code of conduct and ways of working. The standing agenda for the project was confirmed, which includes reviewing the schedule, looking at completed work (closed issues and merges), discussing open issues and planned work, and addressing any other business [00:00:58].

  • Schedule Update and Core Document Deadlines: The current work is focused on three primary deliverables: pilot documentation, the Grid Business Requirement Specification (also referred to as the target operating model), and the DIA specification, which relates to the digital identity anchor curated by the United Nations Transparency Protocol (UNP) [00:02:09]. The proposed deadline for submitting this work is April 10, which allows 60 days for public review, with the final publication of documents targeted for July 29 [00:03:10].

  • Purpose of Finalized Documents: The goal of finalizing these documents by July is to determine if the project team will agree to produce a UN/CEFACT recommendation, which is a formal document promulgated to UN member states for them to follow [00:03:10]. John Phillips noted that the current work is not a recommendation yet, and the decision on producing one will be made after the initial documents are published, aiming to secure a result before the UN/CEFACT plenary in November [00:04:17].

  • Recent Project Commits and Merges: John Phillips reviewed recent activity within the GitLab environment, noting that all changes are tracked via commits, which include both trivial administrative tasks like adding minutes and more significant work. A major commit involved merging branch 41, which focused on mapping the original project brief deliverables to the current work being produced to ensure all requirements are being met [00:05:31].

  • Discussion on Implementation Guidelines and DIA Specification: The implementation guidelines document is necessary to describe how the Global Register Information Directory (GRID) might be implemented and how registrars should operate, with Alena volunteering to work on this document. A substantive discussion centered on Issue 7, which addresses proposed changes to the UNP Digital Identity Anchor (DIA) specification, focusing on whether a DIA should contain more than one identifier [00:06:29]. The consensus reached was that DIAs should be as simple as possible, and issuing separate DIAs for different identifiers (e.g., a commercial business identifier, an EU ID, and a legal entity identifier (LEI)) provides greater flexibility [00:07:42].

  • Consideration of DID Usage and ISO Standards: The conversation also explored whether an organization might use the same decentralized identifier (DID) for multiple registrations (e.g., registering a farm, land, and business name). The team concluded they cannot preclude an organization from using the same DID multiple times in registration, but the registrar could review the DID document and suggest using a different DID if necessary [00:08:53]. John Phillips also summarized Mark Lazar's presentation on ISO 27560 concerning consent records, concluding that while important for individuals, it should not be mandated for inclusion in the DIA specification or UNP, as it is largely irrelevant to trade documentation [00:10:13].

  • Review of ISO 80016 and Organizational Identifier Structure: Bree-Ana Blazicevic agreed that personal identity matters do not apply and highlighted the importance of enabling access and leveraging existing, scaled mechanisms to test the minimum viable product (MVP) [00:13:46]. John Phillips introduced ISO 80016, which is relevant because the GRID is concerned with UN member states and their country codes, which are part of the standard [00:15:13]. The ISO 80016 string structure includes the UN country code, a registrar string identifier, and the specific identifier [00:16:11].

  • Dependency on ECCMA and the Role of Registrars: John Phillips raised a cautionary point that relying on ISO 80016 introduces a dependency on ECCMA, the non-profit responsible for managing the registrar string element of the standard [00:17:25]. Bree-Ana Blazicevic noted that this standard meets many requirements for an MVP, and the project aims to utilize existing identifiers rather than creating new universal standards [00:18:44]. Ann Dao emphasized that the project is adding a new process to verify a DID against an identity, which is an important point for registrars to consider in their operating and business models [00:19:37].

  • Simplifying Definitions for GRID Components: John Phillips advocated for making the definitions of terms like "register" and "registrar" as simple as possible, separating them from eligibility requirements. The approach is to define the term simply and then list the specific requirements for eligibility to be a registrar in the GRID [00:22:00]. This simplification aims to avoid unnecessary complexities related to operational details within the core definitions [00:23:09].

  • Refining Eligibility Criteria and the Concept of the Register Operator: Ann Dao's comments prompted a discussion about public accessibility and the concept of a legally empowered official, suggesting these be added to the eligibility criteria while keeping definitions simple [00:25:33]. The discussion also addressed the distinction between the responsible authority (registrar) and a register operator, citing the example of the Victorian government delegating vehicle licensing operations to a bank [00:26:37]. Jo Spencer agreed that while they need to enable registries to use operating units, the operational processes do not need to be front-facing or visible through the GRID [00:32:20].

  • Implementation Guidelines and Key Management Concerns: The role of the implementation guidelines is to address critical operational topics such as key management, especially if a registrar delegates responsibility to an operations party [00:33:34]. The key management discussion highlighted the complexity when an authority (like New South Wales Births and Marriages) delegates the issuance of verifiable credentials to another body (like Service New South Wales), raising questions about who controls the signing keys and the resulting legal significance of the certificates [00:35:44].

  • Closing of a Meta-Issue and Status of Open Issues: John Phillips noted that they could close a meta-issue that consolidated several website review comments, confirming the related tasks have been completed [00:38:32]. The most active remaining issues include the DIA specification changes, the ISO standards review, and the ongoing discussion about definitions for "register" and "registrar". Ann Dao confirmed the deadline for document drafts is early May, but John Phillips corrected the current target for a draft review to April 10 [00:36:36] [00:39:40].

  • Next Steps and Schedule Commitment: The goal is to have draft documents ready for review by April 10, requiring participants to comment on all existing issues by the middle of next week [00:40:53]. The documents do not need to be perfect but must be good enough for the UN/CEFACT bureau to review and agree on the next steps, which may include writing a formal recommendation to be presented at the November plenary [00:41:52]. Pilot work is an ongoing, continuous effort [00:42:49].

Suggested next steps​

  • [John Phillips] Share RFI Link: Distribute NRCAN RFI link to the group. Include link in meeting minutes - https://natural-resources.canada.ca/minerals-mining/request-information-mined-canada-digital-credential

  • [John Phillips] Close ISO Issue: Finalize ISO 27560 consent records issue next week. Note importance for individuals but not trade documentation.

  • [John Phillips] Revisit Eligibility: Review eligibility requirements based on Ann Dao comment. Sharpen public accessibility criteria details.

  • [The group] Review Open Issues: Read current open issues and provide resolution comments. Complete task by Thursday next week.

  • [John Phillips] Publish Minutes: Prepare and publish the current meeting minutes.

Chat​