Meetings

Schedule

Meetings occur every second Tuesday at 9:00am CET. Advance notice will be provided for any changes.

• Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82645920209?pwd=VD2EsPFaPajLq0Tfw2oRPe6QpJRPz9.1 
• Calendar: https://www.addevent.com/calendar/2h0rbdqvjmhs 

History

Click on a meeting date to see detailed minutes.

24 Feb 2026

Quick recap

The meeting focused on restructuring the UNVTD site’s information architecture to better serve both business users and technical implementers. The group discussed keeping the core document schema simple while allowing for extensions to address industry-specific needs, with agreement to maintain separate guidance for complex use cases like maritime trade. A significant discussion centered around the role of business wallets, with Bo Harald volunteering to write the wallet section for the architecture page, though the group agreed wallets should be supported but not required for implementation. The team also decided to focus primarily on cross-border trade use cases rather than domestic implementations, acknowledging potential conflicts between decentralized models and government surveillance requirements.

Next steps

• Nis: Create a ticket about adding clear instructions on how to join and use UN GitLab, and consider linking to the existing UNTP guidance page.
• Steven: Attach Abhijit’s maritime trade input/report (ChatGPT output) to a relevant ticket for further discussion.
• Bo Harald: Write the “wallets” section for the architecture page and engage the Open Wallet Foundation as appropriate.
• Steven: Propose changes to the site navigation/information architecture, send out a link for review, and make a pull request for the new structure.
• Steven: Send out an email when the new information architecture is ready and request volunteers for writing different sections of the site.
• Nis: Move the “architecture” section to appear after “governance” and before “business use cases” in the site structure, and add relevant subheadings under “architecture”.
• Steven and Sin Yong: Collaborate on writing the architecture section (including new mental model and subheadings).

Summary

Trade Documentation Site Architecture Review

The meeting focused on discussing the architecture and content of a trade documentation site. Steven noted that while there was some technical content, there was a lack of business patterns and use cases. The group reviewed the current state of the site, which included specifications, meetings, and initial documents created by Nis. They discussed the need to structure the site in a way that would be valuable for both business users and technical implementers. The conversation ended with a plan to continue developing the site’s content and structure collaboratively.

Website Restructuring and GitLab Access

The team discussed restructuring their website and improving access to the UN GitLab. Steven proposed creating a landing page with clear information about the project’s purpose and target audience, along with sections on governance, meetings, and architecture. He suggested adding a test service for document compliance and an implementation register. The group also touched on the need to document high-value use cases and clarify the titles of existing sections. Walid mentioned adding a proposed structure for a letter of credit and linking it to a bill of lading. The conversation ended with an open invitation for feedback from the team members.

Clarifying Cross-Border Trade Architecture

Sin and Steven discussed the need to clarify the architectural concepts and mental models related to cross-border trade and document exchange. Sin emphasized the importance of explaining the differences between the current and previous models to avoid misunderstandings during meetings. Steven suggested elevating the architecture section to a top-level heading with subsections to improve clarity. Nathan added that a similar standard, the Digital Container Ship Register, exists but differs from their approach, highlighting the need for better explanation of these differences.

Digital Document Standard Development

The group discussed the development of a new digital document standard, focusing on its unique value proposition and relationship to existing standards. They explored how to handle industry-specific variations and legal differences across regions, with Nathan and Steven expressing concerns about creating overly complex documents that could replicate the complexity of older systems. The team agreed to start with high-value use cases like customs compliance and maritime trade, while acknowledging that some level of customization might be necessary to accommodate different industry needs.

Core Document Extension Strategy

The group discussed keeping the core document standard simple while allowing for extensions to address specific use cases or local nuances. Nis explained that JSON allows for additional attributes that can be ignored by readers if unknown, and suggested allowing extensions to accommodate local variations. Steven agreed that extensions should be allowed but questioned whether to document common shared patterns like Bulk Marine Transport. The discussion also touched on the challenge of rendering human-readable documents when dealing with auxiliary parameters, with Steven suggesting that issuers could include rendering templates for their specific needs.

Maritime Trade Simulation Insights

Abhijit shared insights from his simulation work on maritime trade, highlighting complexities around bills of lading and ownership changes, particularly in trades between different regions. Steven agreed to attach the ChatGPT-generated report to a ticket for further discussion, noting the need to keep context-specific variations out of the core system and address them in business use cases. Walid emphasized the importance of simplicity while maintaining effectiveness and usability, suggesting versioning for documents and protocols and proposing leveraging the underlying JSON Linked Data structure to handle different modes of transportation.

Version Control and Wallet Integration

The group discussed version control and documentation practices, with Steven explaining their approach of using version numbers like 0.5 for public review and maintaining a work-in-progress version alongside stable releases. Bo Harald emphasized the goal of converting as many documents as possible into verifiable machine-readable credentials, while noting that this initiative aligns with discussions in the Open Wallet Foundation about developing a global business wallet model. The team agreed to prioritize certain ICC BSI document types for implementation, starting with high-priority items like invoices and shipping manifests, and discussed the need to support wallets while maintaining the ability to access credentials without requiring wallet-dependent systems.

Wallets in Trade Documentation Architecture

The group discussed the role of wallets in trade documentation, with Bo Harald sharing his experience using business wallets in Europe for invoices and credentials. Steven emphasized the need for an architecture that allows a pragmatic pathway from current systems to future wallet-based solutions, acknowledging that not all parties involved in a transaction need to have a wallet. The discussion concluded with an agreement that while wallets should be supported, the architecture should not depend solely on wallets, and this topic would be addressed in the architecture section of their strategy.

Business Wallets: Privacy and Integration

The group discussed the differences between personal and business wallets, with Phil expressing concern that privacy-focused technology designed for individual use might not be suitable for commercial purposes. Bo Harald explained that the European Union has shifted focus to business wallets, which can be used with lower assurance levels than personal wallets, and predicted that these would eventually merge into a global business wallet. Steven agreed to include wallet considerations on the architecture page but emphasized that the focus should not be on demanding wallets, as alternative patterns for data exchange without wallets should also be supported.

Website Navigation Architecture Discussion

The team discussed the structure of a navigation architecture for a website, with Steven proposing a pull request that would include sections on governance, architecture, and business use cases. They debated whether to include domestic e-invoicing use cases, with Stephan suggesting they should be open to both domestic and cross-border trade applications, while Sin advised focusing on cross-border trade to manage scope and avoid policy complications. The team agreed to move the architecture section to appear before business use cases, and Nis committed to making this change in the next commit.

10 Feb 2026

Quick recap

The meeting focused on discussing the exchange architecture for verifiable credentials in international trade, with particular emphasis on whether digital wallets are necessary for document exchange. The group explored different models for sharing trade documents, including Singapore’s approach that supports both human-readable and machine-readable formats while accommodating varying levels of digital readiness among trading partners.

The discussion highlighted that wallets may be useful but the exchange architecture should not depend on wallet adoption, as many partners lack digital infrastructure. Kokichi-san’s feedback on invoice formats was noted but not fully addressed due to time constraints.

The meeting concluded that the main challenge is overcoming preconceptions about digital document exchange and demonstrating that a single document format can work across different technical capabilities without requiring bilateral agreements.

Next steps

• Steven: Send instructions to participants on how to sign up for GitLab and update the relevant page with signup/link information.
• All regular meeting participants: Sign up to GitLab to comment on tickets and participate in issue tracking.
• Steven: Paste Kokichi Watanabe’s latest email feedback into the relevant GitHub ticket regarding invoice feedback.
• Kokichi Watanabe (and other subject matter experts): Review rendered human-readable document templates on the site and provide comments (preferably as GitHub tickets) on missing or required content for trade documents.
• All participants: Write comments or questions in GitHub tickets (once signed up) to continue discussion on document content and exchange models, rather than relying only on email.
• Steven: Update the meetings page with a link or instructions on how to sign up to GitLab.

Summary

Invoice Format Standardization Discussion

The meeting reviewed human-readable presentations of invoice formats and associated business cases. Steven explained a new feature that applies UN Layout Key standards to render documents in a more user-friendly format, confirmed by Sin Yong as based on UNECE Recommendation No. 1.

The group discussed the GitLab signup process, with Steven noting that approval typically takes 2–3 days and is primarily for bot prevention. The session concluded with plans to address business feedback on invoice content, with Kokichi-san’s input to be discussed next.

Digital Trade Document Evolution

The group examined both human-readable and machine-readable trade documents. Steven presented a diagram showing how multiple actors in a value chain interact with a commercial invoice.

He outlined challenges in moving from paper to digital and proposed different exchange models, including:

• separate documents with QR codes, and
• single documents with hosted verification services.

Participants discussed possible confusion with QR codes and the importance of trust in verifier services. Steven emphasized the need to help users understand the difference between PDFs and digital renderings, including options for personal verification services.

Digital Wallet Exchange Architecture Discussion

The group discussed exchange architecture for trade documents, focusing on the role of digital wallets. Bo Harald and Sin Yong shared insights from European wallet initiatives and the Singapore verifiable credentials model.

Participants agreed the architecture should support wallets but must also function without them. Steven stressed the need for a scalable approach that accommodates varying levels of digital readiness among trading parties.

The discussion emphasized enabling easy document exchange—similar to how passports function—without requiring universal digital capability. The meeting concluded with encouragement to continue discussion via GitHub tickets and share insights or “lightbulb moments” about the proposed exchange model.

27 Jan 2026

Quick recap

The team discussed a quantitative analysis of economic impact for grid and UNVTD implementation at scale, reviewing PDF documents containing trade metrics and methodology validation approaches. They explored the development of business cases for multilateral development banks, including data collection, sample cases, and advocacy strategies. The group also addressed technical specifications for verifiable credentials, test playground considerations, and rendering templates for human and machine readability in trade documents.

Next steps

• steven: use a better markdown to PDF converter and repost all PDF documents with improved formatting
• All participants: download and review the uploaded PDFs, check methodology and sources, and provide critical feedback (with focus on key countries/methodology, not full document review)
• Sin: extract and contribute a business flow diagram showing how a certificate of origin is used in a business scenario, and add technical exchange details as a comment or file in the relevant repo/thread
• Nis: create a placeholder/template for capturing implementer metrics and usage data, referencing the UNTP approach
• steven: lead/coordinate the development of a potential UN policy recommendation document (to be decided if/when to proceed, based on business case progress)
• Nis: add a section to the presentation (as referenced in the meeting)
• Nis: take a first pass at creating guidance/tutorial sections in the spec, including mapping from known software suppliers to schemas, tutorials, and best practices
• steven: look into Zoom settings before the next meeting to avoid the need for manual admittance to the call
• All: comment/discuss further on the rendering templates issue (human-readable rendering) in the relevant issue thread

Summary

Grid and UNVTD Economic Impact Analysis

The meeting focused on discussing a quantitative analysis of the potential economic impact of rolling out grid and UNVTD at scale in a given country. Steven presented several PDF documents generated with the help of Claude Code, which contain metrics such as export-import volumes, ad valorem cost of trade, revenue leakage estimates, and cost of trade finance access. He invited the group to download and critique the documents, which are based on authoritative data sources. Steven’s goal is to develop a methodology to assess the impact of implementing these solutions on various economic indicators, in order to create a business case for investment on a country-by-country basis.

Trade Data Processing Methodology Review

The team discussed issues with PDF rendering of trade volume data and agreed to use a better PDF converter. Steven explained he had processed large trade databases from World Bank and UN sources into structured formats, though some files were too large for Excel. The group aligned on focusing on methodology validation rather than verifying every data point, with Sin suggesting to quantify the contribution of two projects to reducing trade gaps and leakages. Steven’s ultimate goal is to develop a business case generator for multilateral development banks, which would need to be defensible and plausible in its projections.

Investment Cases for Grid Impact

The team discussed the final delivery of their project, which involves generating investment cases for countries by analyzing the impact of grid and UNVTV implementation on various measures like access to fair names. Steven explained that the process would start with data collection and methodology development, followed by creating sample business cases that could be tested with multilateral development banks. Nis questioned whether this would be part of the specification or a separate deliverable, to which Steven responded that it was a group decision. Peter suggested using the analysis for advocacy and communication purposes, potentially engaging development banks and UN agencies for review and awareness raising, though he noted that immediate policy changes were unlikely.

Product Uptake Measurement Discussion

The team reviewed a single merge request from Nis containing meeting notes from the previous session, which was approved without objections. They discussed an issue about measuring uptake of their products, with Steven clarifying that the primary audience is member states. Nis noted the challenge of measuring usage due to privacy concerns and mentioned a similar discussion in UNCP.

Testable Specification and Metrics Development

The group discussed developing a testable specification with test services and maintaining an implementer’s register to track the impact of UNTP and other platforms. Steven explained they want to collect anonymized metrics from implementers, such as the number of invoices issued, to measure outcomes like cost reduction and tariff collection improvements. Nis agreed to create a placeholder template for capturing this data. The discussion then shifted to decoupling from communication channels, where Steven suggested using real-life examples to demonstrate how digital product passports can be exchanged through various methods, similar to how a physical passport works.

Digital Trade Document Interoperability

The team discussed creating examples of digital trade flows, focusing on how certificates of origin and other trade documents can be exchanged without relying on traditional digital wallets. Sin agreed to provide a business flow diagram showing how certificates of origin are used in practice, while Steven emphasized the importance of demonstrating both wallet-to-wallet transfers and publish-discover scenarios without wallets. Bogharald shared insights about the European business wallet rollout, noting that wallet-to-wallet e-invoicing is being implemented globally with about 30 interoperable wallets available. The group agreed to focus on practical examples rather than extensive testing services, with the goal of helping implementers verify their solutions are correct.

Verifiable Credentials Test Playground Discussion

The group discussed implementing a test playground for verifiable credentials, with Steven proposing a system to check schema compliance and vocabulary alignment. Nis expressed concerns that such a test playground might inadvertently favor certain technical implementations over others, potentially creating a de facto standard. Hans agreed that flexibility was important, but did not oppose the idea of a test playground. The group acknowledged that while market choice is valuable, some form of testing and validation is necessary to ensure interoperability. Nis invited anyone interested to contribute to the development of the test playground, and noted that Steven would need to be assigned to work on policy recommendations.

Technical Specification and Policy Discussion

The team discussed whether to accompany a technical specification with a formal UN policy recommendation to member states, with Steven suggesting this could be a separate project and might emerge from economic analysis. They also addressed the need for guidance on mapping information from known software suppliers to their schemas, with Steven explaining that this could be light or heavy depending on requirements. The team agreed to add a section to a presentation and discussed rendering templates for verifiable credentials in a human-readable format. Additionally, they noted issues with Zoom meeting access and agreed to adjust settings to prevent future attendance problems.

Credential Rendering Method Discussion

The team discussed the need for credentials to be both human and machine readable, particularly in trade documents with multiple parties. Steven suggested providing examples with rendering templates, while Nis expressed concerns about the technology method used for rendering. Sin emphasized that the issuer should decide the rendering method, but the project team needs to pick a method for delivering examples. The group agreed to continue the discussion and meet again in two weeks.

13 Jan 2026

Quick recap

The UNVTD team meeting focused on reviewing and approving pull requests for their specification repository, which contains standards for verifiable trade documents like invoices and shipping manifests. The team discussed technical aspects of document identification, data validation, and the balance between W3C and IETF standards for verifiable credentials. They agreed to support both technologies while avoiding unnecessary complexity. The group also addressed the need for business-focused content, including sections on trade finance and customs, and discussed creating business value propositions to demonstrate the benefits of their specifications. Several team members expressed interest in contributing to these business-focused efforts, including Alina and Benedict. The conversation ended with a reminder about the upcoming two-week interval before the next meeting.

Next steps

• Nis: Merge outstanding pull requests with conflicts and resolve merge conflicts offline
• Nis: Add screenshots of specification changes to future pull requests for better clarity
• Nis: Create a new issue/section to discuss and document the node-carrying aspect of linked data in documents (per discussion with Steven)
• Steven: Write initial text/content for the customs section, particularly regarding how verifiable documents support new customs authority use cases
• Nis: Write initial text for the section on balancing technical recommendations regarding W3C vs IETF approaches (with input from Hans)
• Hans: Provide input on balancing technical recommendations, particularly regarding IETF/SD-JOIN approaches
• All interested parties: Email Steven to express interest in contributing to the business value/impact assessment document
• Alina: Contribute to writing a section on business/legal aspects (specific section to be determined)
• Benedict: Send email to mailing list to express interest in participating in business value/impact assessment
• Steven: Create/organize a Google Docs library for business value propositions/impact stories (for non-technical contributors)

Summary

UNVTD Trade Document Standards Kickoff

The meeting served as a kickoff for the UNVTD team, emphasizing the development of standards and tests for a library of verifiable trade documents, such as invoices, waybills, and shipping manifests. Steven explained the project’s focus on creating an implementable toolkit based on the UN vocabulary and ICC Digital Standards Initiatives, highlighting its connection to decentralized architectures and identity verification. He noted the involvement of Spain and India as committed implementers and the complementary nature of the project with another initiative focused on trust and identity. Nis and Sin Yong were set to discuss technical and business issues, with Nis planning to share their screen for further details.

Trade Document Trust Registry Update

The meeting began with introductions from participants, including Phil Archer from GS1, Benedict Itegbe from the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, and Abhijit Muite, a maritime expert. Steven explained the connection between three related projects: the commercial and logistics trade documents, the Identity Trust Register, and the United Nations Transparency Protocol. Nis discussed a pull request related to the trust registry and proposed merging it, despite some previous comments, as no additional changes were suggested. The group agreed to move forward with merging the pull request, with any further issues to be addressed in subsequent discussions.

Pull Request Merge and Design Discussion

The team discussed merging a pull request, with Steven suggesting that it’s generally acceptable to merge at this stage unless there’s substantial disagreement. They also talked about the importance of designing documents with graph-based data relationships in mind, particularly for UN/CEFACT projects. Nis agreed to merge the pull request and mentioned that a separate discussion about identifier design would be more appropriate. The team then approved some rules for decentralized identifiers and agreed to add a page for capturing meeting notes and recordings.

KTDDE Document Review Process

The team discussed the importance of reviewing open issues and merge requests before meetings to facilitate more productive discussions. Nis explained the current focus on eight initial documents from KTDDE’s first batch and clarified that the project is structured like a website, with changes tracked through merge requests that update the specification site. Alina sought clarification on the issuer identifier concept, which Steven elaborated on by explaining its link to decentralized identifiers and its role in associating business parties with documents. Nis also mentioned the need to include screenshots to better illustrate changes to the specification in future discussions.

Validating Trade Document Definitions

The team discussed the importance of ensuring that published documents are technically valid in both schema and linked data vocabulary senses. Nis provided an example of how combining different data elements leads to a description, and mentioned adding rudimentary references to the trust registry. Steven suggested publishing the work and collaborating with Alina to contribute meaningful content. They also discussed the need for every data element in a trade document to reference a formal definition, with most pointing to UN vocabulary definitions. Nis emphasized the distinction between documents and JSON data objects, and proposed introducing a node-carrying aspect alongside the current text-focused approach.

Technical Specifications for Verifiable Documents

The meeting focused on technical specifications for verifiable documents, particularly invoices and customs declarations. Participants discussed the balance between technical details and business requirements, emphasizing the need for simplicity and interoperability. Steve highlighted the importance of business value propositions to drive adoption, and invited contributions from experts in various sectors. The group agreed to support both W3C verifiable credentials and IETF signed envelopes, while Hans and Mikael raised questions about semantic interoperability. The conversation ended with a call for volunteers to contribute to the business impact assessment section.

16 Dec 2025

Quick recap

The meeting focused on discussing the structure and approach for developing trade document specifications, with a key debate on whether to split the team into technical and business teams. The group decided to maintain combined meetings for now but conduct a survey to determine team preferences. Nis demonstrated how to use the GitLab repository for contributing to the specification, and the team reviewed several merge requests, particularly focusing on data modeling for invoices and the handling of issuer identifiers. The team agreed to use existing vocabularies where possible and to address gaps in the KTDDE model while keeping the specification focused and implementable. The conversation ended with a discussion of implementation guidance and trust registry integration, with an agreement to skip the next meeting due to holidays.

Next steps

• steven: Set up the team admin account so others can launch Zoom Meetings before the next meeting.
• Nis: Fix non-resolving linked data references in the commercial invoice merge request and address follow-up issues (e.g., missing/incorrect properties) before next review.
• Nis: Add an issue (or follow up) to address missing types throughout all documents, as discussed with José.
• Nis/steven: Contact Pamela and Oscar (or relevant KTDD contacts) to provide feedback on gaps/changes found in KTDD as the project progresses.
• Nis/steven: Run a survey on Slack to gauge interest in technical vs. business/adoption groups, and revisit the decision to split meetings after a few combined sessions.
• Nis/steven: Update the meeting schedule to skip the meeting in the middle of the holidays (30th December), and confirm the next meeting for 13th January.
• (Unassigned, but discussed as needed): Add implementation guidance sections to the spec (e.g., mapping from legacy software, tutorials, best practices, security, interop testing)—volunteers requested, but not yet assigned.
• (Unassigned, but discussed as needed): Add a short section with example on how to resolve a DID and reference the Grid (Global Registrar Information Directory) project in the spec.

Summary

GitLab and Zoom Access Setup

The team discussed technical issues related to setting up two-factor authentication on GitLab and managing Zoom meeting access. Steven agreed to set up the team admin account and resolve the Zoom host permissions, with Nis temporarily taking on the host role. The meeting began with 16 participants, and Steven noted they would wait for a few more minutes before starting.

Team Split Strategy Discussion

The team discussed splitting into two groups: a technical team focused on schema and artifacts, and a business/adoption team focused on value propositions. While there was general agreement on the split, Sin suggested keeping the groups combined initially until the agenda items become more distinct. The team agreed to run a Slack survey to determine group preferences, with Steven noting that at least half the group felt more business-centric. They decided to maintain combined meetings for now, with the possibility of splitting later when appropriate.

UN/CEFACT GitLab Contribution Process

Nis demonstrated how to use the UN/CEFACT GitLab repository to contribute to and discuss changes to the specification code, emphasizing the importance of using issues for permanent discussions rather than Slack. Nis explained the process of reviewing and merging requests, starting with a change to avoid duplicate information in the issuer object, and discussed a second merge request adding missing elements to the commercial invoice based on practical experience. The team agreed to further discuss the implications of these changes before merging them into the main branch.

Trade Document Data Modeling Approach

The group discussed the approach to data modeling for trade documents, with Steven explaining that KTDDE took a top-down approach analyzing 36 trade documents with around 400 data elements, while UN/CEFACT models contain thousands of fields. José raised concerns about potential repetition and modularization of properties needed in other documents, while Nis suggested keeping a log of changes from KTDDE. The group aligned on pursuing a simpler, more implementable model rather than creating an overly complex one, with Steven emphasizing that recipients typically only need fields necessary for accounts payable updates.

Trade Document Data Modeling Discussion

The team discussed data modeling approaches for trade documents, focusing on whether to use a superset of all possible data elements or a core set with extensibility through linked vocabularies. They agreed to use existing vocabularies where possible and add missing types subsequently. The group reviewed merge requests, addressing issues with unresolved identifiers and data modeling. They decided to merge some requests despite technical inaccuracies, with plans to fix them later. The team also discussed implementation guidance and trust registry integration, agreeing to add a brief section on resolving DIDs to the specification. They concluded by deciding to skip the next meeting due to holidays and set the following meeting for January 13th.

2 Dec 2025

Quick recap

The meeting introduced the UN Verifiable Trade Document project, which aims to develop standards for cross-border trade facilitation through verifiable credentials and decentralized portable data packets. The team discussed implementation plans for trade document standards, including the structure of verifiable credentials and the importance of semantic authority, while reviewing a website containing a skeleton document for commercial invoices. The conversation ended with discussions about repository access and contribution processes, including the handling of merge requests and issues in the UNICE project repositories.

Next steps

• steven: send out slide pack from Senegal presentation to the mailing list after this meeting
• steven: create a team account before next meeting so Nis and Xinyong can co-host meetings
• steven: send out email after this meeting with links to the Global Registrar Information Directory project for those interested in joining
• steven: send out recording link for those who joined late Nis: add section with links to presentations on the website
• steven: ask Kevin at Secretariat to grant maintainer role for approving merge requests on this repository
• Team: register for UN GitLab access at the provided link to participate in raising issues

Summary

UN Trade Document Standards Initiative

The meeting introduced the UN Verifiable Trade Document project, with Steven explaining that it is a UN/CEFACT initiative focused on cross-border trade facilitation. He outlined that the project will operate in the open on UN GitLab, with all IP contributions to be made freely available to the public, and emphasized the need for active contributors while adhering to a code of conduct that prohibits commercial promotion. The project aims to develop standards for verifiable trade documents, with Nis and Sin Yong leading the day-to-day efforts, though Sin Yong was unable to attend due to family vacation.

Decentralized Trade Document Standards Project

The meeting discussed a project proposal for developing trade document standards using decentralized portable data packets, aiming to support cross-border trade by enabling verifiable credentials and human-readable templates. Steven explained the governance process, project scope, and technical approach, emphasizing the importance of measuring impact and uptake through collaboration with software vendors and early implementers. He highlighted the project’s focus on scalability and security, as well as its alignment with existing trade vocabularies and initiatives like the Global Registrar Information Directory, which has received commitments from India and Spain.

Verifiable Credentials Implementation Plan

The team discussed the implementation of a new project focused on verifiable credentials and decentralized identifiers (DIDs) for trade documents and business registrations. Steven explained that the project aims to create cryptographically secure credentials that can be used to verify business registrations and trade documents, with Spain and India already committing to implement the system. He also mentioned that there are about 5 more states in the deliberation process. The team agreed to share the presentation slides and links to the related project, and Nis was set to explain the process of raising issues and pull requests in the GitLab repository.

Verifiable Credentials for Trade Documents

The team discussed the structure of verifiable credentials, focusing on the W3C standard and its application to trade documents. They reviewed a website containing a skeleton document for a commercial invoice, which includes elements like identifier, business content, and digital signature. Steven shared links to relevant ICC and UN projects, while Nis explained the importance of semantic authority and publicly available references. The team agreed to refine the data model, with input from subject matter experts, and to improve the website’s presentation of the information.

UN Digital Product Passport Workflow

The team discussed a digital product passport project, with Steven sharing examples from a UN Transparency Protocol project that demonstrates human-readable and machine-readable data coexisting. Nis explained the project’s GitHub workflow, emphasizing that all changes and discussions should go through GitLab issues rather than Slack, as issues are better tracked and managed. The team agreed to use UN Recommendation Number 1 (LayoutKey) to inform rendering templates, and Nis outlined the process for gaining access to the UN’s specific GitLab instance at open-source.unicc.org.

UNECE Project Access and Contributions

The team discussed how to access and contribute to the UNECE project repositories, with Steven explaining that anyone can browse the UN open source projects but needs to register for an account to raise issues or contribute content. Nis demonstrated how to create an issue and shared a merge request to update the website’s styling to match UN standards, which Steven approved. The team agreed that most participants would only need basic registration access, while those more actively contributing might receive additional permissions, and Steven provided a link for UN-CEFACT expert registration.

Merge Request Process and Roles

The team discussed the process of handling merge requests and issues in their project repository. Nis demonstrated merging a pull request, which Steve could not approve due to his limited permissions. They agreed to break the rules and have Nis merge the request instead. Steve explained that the team would include both technical and business members, and emphasized that business people should not feel intimidated by the technical aspects. He encouraged them to focus on creating issues and commenting, while leaving the more technical changes to the team’s technical members. The conversation ended with Steve agreeing to send out a recording link for those who missed the early part of the discussion.