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Version: Stage 4 - Prepared for Public Review

2026-06-11 1658 AEST

Jun 11, 2026

UN CEFACT GTR Project - EU​

Attendees​

  • Alina
  • John
  • Hans
  • Jo (last half)

Summary​

Website refactoring and global strategy alignment discussions prepared the project for an upcoming public review period.

Website Refactoring And Review
Simplification of website content prioritizes accessibility for external reviewers. The team discussed readiness for an upcoming 60-day public review.

Strategic Scope And Priorities
Consensus established a priority on global applicability over regional models. Stakeholders agreed that land registration is a critical foundation for trade data verification.

Documentation And Outreach Planning
Content distillation into a formal recommendation document proceeds alongside website refinements. Active engagement with international registrars remains the primary objective for project expansion.

Decisions​

  • Dependent on UN/CEFACT confirmation the team expects to create a Recommendation document. The project will distill current website content into a formal Recommendation (52) document to serve as the official project recommendation for the UN/CEFACT Bureau.

  • Initiation of public review phase The public review phase will commence, prioritizing project momentum and gathering external feedback over delaying for further content perfection.

Next steps​

  • [John Phillips, Alina Nica Gales] Confirm Public Review: Contact Steve Capel to finalize approval for the public review process.

  • [John Phillips, Alina Nica Gales] Prepare Recommendation: Create a recommendation document using the existing website content for the formal project review.

  • [John Phillips, Alina Nica Gales] Share Steve Comments: Distribute the website review feedback from Steve Capel to the project group via Slack and the email list.

  • [John Phillips, Alina Nica Gales] Add Use Case: Add a concrete use case example from the Spanish registry to the pilot documentation section of the website.

  • [John Phillips] Enable Feedback: Implement a contact method or feedback form on the website for external users to provide comments during the public review.

  • [John Phillips] Analyze Traffic: Investigate website diagnostic tools to determine the number of unique visitors and current traffic levels.

Details​

Did the screenshots in this section make your notes better or worse?

  • Website Refactoring for Public Review: John Phillips reported that, following a review by sponsor Steve Capell, the project team has refactored the website to better serve external reviewers rather than just the project team [00:00:00] [00:03:46]. The changes include simplifying the homepage and "about" pages to focus on value propositions for participants, rather than internal project ethos, and moving away from overly complex, project-specific diagrams [00:00:56] [00:03:46]. John Phillips confirmed these updates were implemented to ensure the content is accessible to those without a prior understanding of the project's background [00:00:56] [00:35:20].

    ![][image1]

  • Clarification of Sandbox and Pilot Data: To address Steve Capel’s concerns regarding potential confusion between real-world pilot data and conceptual test data, John Phillips has reorganized the website’s content [00:06:46]. Specifically, all theoretical or "fake" country examples (such as the Royal Ministry of Atlantis) have been moved into a dedicated "sandbox" subfolder clearly marked for test purposes only [00:07:47] [00:25:36]. This separation is intended to ensure that users do not mistake these illustrative scenarios for actual, production-ready pilot registrations [00:06:46].

    ![][image2]

  • Access and Feedback Mechanisms for Public Review: Hans inquired about the current website traffic, to which John Phillips responded that while direct traffic is low, the project is preparing for a formal 60-day public review [00:08:53] [00:22:23]. To facilitate this, the team intends to implement mechanisms for external users to log issues or provide feedback, similar to other UN/CEFACT specifications [00:09:49]. John Phillips also mentioned the potential for adopting a simpler URL, such as grid.unc.org, to improve project branding and accessibility for the public [00:10:50].

  • Interoperability and Global Scope: Alina Nica Gales discussed the Imola project, which focuses on European land registry interoperability, and the need to harmonize these initiatives with the global trade grid [00:11:53]. A dialogue occurred regarding the balance between European-specific solutions and the requirements of global trade [00:15:16] [00:17:10]. Participants reached a consensus that while European regional needs are a significant component, the project must remain focused on global applicability and avoid creating solutions that are exclusively tailored to European models [00:16:09].

  • Land Registration and Trade Data: The group acknowledged the increasing relevance of land registries to trade, particularly in light of regulations such as the European Union Deforestation Regulation, which requires proof of land origin for goods [00:18:01]. John Phillips and Alina Nica Gales agreed that organization identifiers and land registration are critical initial priorities for the grid, as they support necessary trade data verification [00:19:01].

  • Project Outreach and Participant Engagement: Steve Capel is currently engaging with international representatives at a UN/ESCAP conference in Bangkok to build broader interest in the grid, specifically targeting countries like India, Pakistan, Thailand, and Sri Lanka [00:19:58]. John Phillips emphasized that attracting actual registrars to participate is a higher priority than optimizing the website for passive visitors, noting that the project requires active, real-world involvement to move forward [00:33:10].

  • Distillation of Content for Recommendation 52: The team is preparing to distill the existing website content into a concise, 25-to-30-page document to serve as a formal recommendation, tentatively designated as Recommendation 52 [00:23:39]. This process will be conducted in parallel with the public review of the website itself, ensuring the project delivers both a functional platform and a documented, standardized recommendation [00:22:23].

  • Use Cases and Digital Identity Anchors: Alina Nica Gales suggested the inclusion of more concrete, real-world use cases on the website, such as examples from Spanish registries, to clarify the application of Digital Identity Anchors (DIA) [00:13:16]. John Phillips noted that several use cases involving suppliers and buyers are already detailed within the current documentation and that these can be further refined if they are not sufficiently clear to the audience [00:27:31].

    ![][image3]

  • Readiness for Public Review: John Phillips expressed confidence that the project has reached approximately 90-95% readiness, maintaining that perfection is not a prerequisite for initiating public review [00:35:20]. The team is finalizing coordination with Steve Capel to ensure all outstanding concerns are met before launching the review period [00:32:21] [00:36:32].

  • Future Pilot Opportunities: Jo Spencer introduced the potential for a future pilot involving the Australian Department of Finance, which oversees the Australian Tax Office and the Australian Business Number register. John Phillips confirmed this is a promising area of interest that may serve as a future expansion for the project's pilot activities [00:36:32].

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